The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has introduced new rules for UPI transactions, which will come into effect from February 1, 2025. As per the new guidelines, UPI transactions using IDs containing special characters will be blocked. A circular has been issued to all banks regarding this change.
UPI IDs with Special Characters Will Be Rejected
Going forward, only UPI IDs made up of alphanumeric characters will be accepted for transactions. This means:
✅ Allowed: Letters (A-Z, a-z) and Numbers (0-9)
❌ Not Allowed: Special Characters such as @, #, %, $
If a UPI ID contains special characters, the transaction will be automatically blocked or rejected by NPCI.
Why Has NPCI Taken This Step?
NPCI has implemented this change to enhance security and streamline UPI transactions. Despite earlier guidelines, some banks and apps were still allowing the use of special characters in UPI IDs. To enforce compliance, NPCI has now taken strict action and instructed all banks to adhere to this rule.
What Should UPI Users Do?
- If your UPI ID contains special characters, you must update it to an alphanumeric format before February 1, 2025.
- Contact your bank or payment service provider if you face issues updating your UPI ID.
This new rule aims to improve the efficiency and security of UPI transactions across India and globally.
