Unified Payments Interface (UPI)

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is a system that powers multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application (of any participating bank), merging several banking features, seamless fund routing & merchant payments into one hood. It also caters to the “Peer to Peer” collect request which can be scheduled and paid as per requirement and convenience.

With the above context in mind, NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) conducted a pilot launch with 21 member banks. The pilot launch was on 11th April 2016 by Dr. Raghuram G Rajan, Governor, RBI at Mumbai. Banks have started to upload their UPI enabled Apps on Google Play store from 25th August, 2016 onwards.

How is it unique?

1. Immediate money transfer through mobile device round the clock 24x7 and 365 days.
2. Single mobile application for accessing different bank accounts
3. Single Click 2 Factor Authentication – Aligned with the Regulatory guidelines, yet provides for a very strong feature of seamless single click payment.
4. Virtual address of the customer for Pull & Push provides for incremental security with the customer not required to enter the details such as Card no, account number; IFSC etc.
5. Bill Sharing with friends.
6. Best answer to Cash on Delivery hassle, running to an ATM or rendering exact amount.
7. Merchant Payment with Single Application or In-App Payments.
8. Scheduling PUSH and PULL Payments for various purposes.
9. Utility Bill Payments, Over the Counter Payments, Barcode (Scan and Pay) based payments.
10. Donations, Collections, Disbursements Scalable.
11. Raising Complaint from Mobile App directly.

Participants in UPI

1. Payer PSP
2. Payee PSP
3. Remitter Bank
4. Beneficiary Bank
5. NPCI
6. Bank Account holders
7. Merchants

UPI - Benefits to the Ecosystem participants

1. Benefits for banks:
2. Single click Two Factor authentication
3. Universal Application for transaction
4. Leveraging existing infrastructure
5. Safer, Secured and Innovative
6. Payment basis Single/ Unique Identifier
7. Enable seamless merchant transactions
8. Benefits for end Customers:
9. Round the clock availability
10. Single Application for accessing different bank accounts
11. Use of Virtual ID is more secure, no credential sharing
12. Single click authentication
13. Raise Complaint from Mobile App directly
14. Benefits for Merchants:
15. Seamless fund collection from customers - single identifiers
16. No risk of storing customer’s virtual address like in Cards
17. Tap customers not having credit/debit cards
18. Suitable for e-Com & m-Com transaction
19. Resolves the COD collection problem
20. Single click 2FA facility to the customer - seamless Pull
21. In-App Payments (IAP)

Registration in UPI enabled application

Steps for Registration:

1. User downloads the UPI application from the App Store / Banks website
2. User creates his/ her profile by entering details like name, virtual id (payment address), password etc.
3. User goes to “Add/Link/Manage Bank Account” option and links the bank and account number with the virtual id

Generating M – PIN:

1. User selects the bank account from which he/she wants to initiate the transaction
2. User clicks one of the option -

Mobile Banking Registration/Generate MPIN

b. Change M-PIN

In the case of 3(a) -

1. User receives OTP from the Issuer bank on his/her registered mobile number
2. User now enters last 6 digits of Debit card number and expiry date
3. User enters OTP and enters his preferred numeric MPIN (MPIN that he would like to set) and clicks on Submit
4. After clicking submit, customer gets notification (successful or decline) 

In case of 2(b) –

1. User enters his old MPIN and preferred new MPIN (MPIN that he would like to set) and clicks on Submit
2. After clicking submit, customer gets notification (successful or failure)

Performing a UPI Transaction:

A. PUSH – sending money using virtual address

1. User logs in to UPI application
2. After successful login, user selects the option of Send Money / Payment
3. User enters beneficiary’s / Payee virtual id, amount and selects account to be debited 
4. User gets confirmation screen to review the payment details and clicks on Confirm
5. User now enters MPIN 
6. User gets successful or failure message

PULL – Requesting money:

1. User logs in to his bank’s UPI application
2. After successful login, user selects the option of collect money (request for payment)
3. User enters remitters / payers virtual id, amount and account to be credited 
4. User gets confirmation screen to review the payment details and clicks on confirm
5. The payer will get the notification on his mobile for request money 
6. Payer now clicks on the notification and opens his banks UPI app where he reviews payment request
7. Payer then decides to click on accept or decline 
8. In case of accept payment, payer will enter MPIN to authorize the transaction 
9. Transaction complete, payer gets successful or decline transaction notification 
10. Payee / requester gets notification and SMS from bank for credit of his bank account

All the appliction is avilable on the play store click given image to see them

Source: -
ICICI Bank

UPI - National Payments Corporation of India

For FAQ's  Click Here