No More Hidden UPI Charges: NPCI Introduces Strict Controls on Auto-Pay, Effective New Year

New Delhi: With UPI payments growing rapidly across India, incidents of users being misled by “dark patterns” or hidden charges have also surged. To tackle this, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has introduced stringent measures to monitor recurring charges and give users better control over their subscriptions.

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) auto-pay feature can now be tracked more effectively. NPCI has launched a centralized portal — upiphelp.npci.org.in — enabling users to view and manage all their UPI auto-pay settings in one place. This initiative targets e-commerce platforms that previously trapped users in auto-pay subscriptions, making it difficult to track or cancel recurring payments.

The move follows an NPCI circular issued on 7 October 2025. All UPI-linked companies must implement these changes by 31 December 2025. Until then, existing rules will continue to apply.

Enhanced User Control and Flexibility
Under the new regulations, customers can:

• Access all active auto-payments through any UPI app or their bank account’s auto-pay section.
• Port an active auto-pay from one UPI app to another.
• Update their UPI ID or change payment providers while maintaining auto-pay settings.

Security measures are robust: any modification to auto-pay settings requires entering the UPI PIN. Auto-pay can be ported only once in 90 days. Additionally, apps cannot manipulate users with cashback or incentives to switch repeatedly. Privacy is protected, as auto-pay data is used solely for display purposes, and NPCI has also introduced the ‘UPI Help’ platform to assist customers via interactive support.

This step is expected to curb hidden charges, prevent deceptive billing practices, and empower users with complete control over their recurring UPI payments from the start of the new year.

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