Digital
NPCI unveils UPI Tap & Pay and AI-powered MyUPI at GFF 2026
New features bring contactless payments, AI-powered support and enhanced safety controls to UPI
MUMBAI: The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has introduced two new capabilities for the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), UPI ‘Tap & Pay’ and MyUPI, an AI-powered customer support and control platform.
Reserve Bank of India governor Sanjay Malhotra unveiled the features at the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2026 in Mumbai in the presence of NPCI non-executive chairman and independent director Ajay Kumar Choudhary, senior bankers and fintech industry leaders.
UPI Tap & Pay allows users to make contactless payments at compatible point-of-sale (POS) terminals by unlocking an NFC-enabled smartphone and tapping it against an NFC-enabled terminal.
The transaction does not depend on the user’s mobile data connection. Instead, it uses the internet connectivity of the POS terminal, allowing payments to continue even in areas with weak cellular coverage.
The feature supports multiple account types linked to UPI, including RuPay credit cards on UPI. Transactions of up to Rs 5,000 can be completed without entering a UPI PIN, while payments above the threshold require users to enter their PIN directly on the POS terminal.
The launch builds on NPCI’s introduction of biometric authentication for UPI at GFF 2025. According to official figures, biometric-authenticated UPI transactions crossed 6.29 billion as of 31 August 2026.
Alongside Tap & Pay, NPCI has introduced MyUPI, also referred to as UPI Help 2.0. Built on NPCI’s small language model FiMI, the platform is designed as a centralised trust and control layer across banks and UPI applications.
MyUPI gives users a consolidated view of their transaction history and AutoPay mandates while adding a range of safety and self-service features.
Its Safety Switch allows users to request the blocking of UPI debit transactions if they suspect their account has been compromised. UPI Number Delink lets users disconnect their mobile number from receiving UPI payments.
The platform also provides payee context-based information, giving users additional details about a beneficiary before a transaction is authorised.
Another feature, automated chargeback processing, enables real-time creation of chargebacks for eligible transactions, potentially speeding up complaint resolution for banks and customers.
MyUPI also includes a transaction replay feature, allowing users to recall and repeat previous transactions across supported UPI applications.
The platform offers 24×7 multilingual support and self-service capabilities, with NPCI positioning it as a way to improve transparency and operational efficiency while strengthening trust and safety across the UPI ecosystem.
The launch at GFF 2026 marks another step in the evolution of UPI, combining contactless payments with AI-led support and greater user control over digital transactions.
