RBI, NPCI launch UPI Tap and Pay, MyUPI to ease digital payments
New UPI features let users pay by tapping their phone without scanning a QR code, and track all transactions on one AI-based platform.
UPI has made payments easy across India, from tea stalls to malls, but poor internet connectivity often leaves apps like Google Pay and PhonePe stuck, causing delays at crowded shops. To fix this, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) have introduced a new feature.
The feature was launched at the Global Fintech Fest 2026 underway in Mumbai. The RBI Governor and the NPCI jointly unveiled two new offerings, UPI Tap and Pay and MyUPI, aimed at making UPI even easier to use.
Tap and Pay works much like tapping a debit or credit card on a machine. Users will no longer need to find a QR code, open the camera or repeatedly open the app to enter a PIN. If the phone supports NFC, users simply need to unlock it and tap it on the shopkeeper's PoS machine to complete the payment.
The feature uses the shopkeeper's machine's internet connection, so a slow personal connection will not hold up the payment. This is expected to particularly benefit people in villages and towns with poor network connectivity, removing the need to wait for internet access.
NPCI has also done away with the need to enter a UPI PIN for small payments of up to Rs 5,000. Tapping will complete the payment directly; a PIN will only be required for amounts above Rs 5,000. This is expected to speed up small transactions such as buying vegetables, having tea or paying auto fares.
Alongside Tap and Pay, a new AI-based platform called MyUPI has also been launched. Many people hold two or three bank accounts and UPI IDs, making it difficult to track transactions. MyUPI will show all UPI transaction details in one place, including how much money came in, where it was spent and from which bank, all in one click. AI support will also be available to help with any issues, removing the need to check transaction history across different apps.
Overall, using UPI is now expected to become as simple as card payments, addressing problems like poor internet, time spent scanning QR codes and apps hanging. Apps such as Google Pay and PhonePe will now need to bring this feature into their platforms, and the option is expected to become available on phones soon.
