PAYMENTS · UPI · POLICY

UPI from Sep 15: ₹5L/Txn, ₹10L/Day — Categories, App Support & Guardrails

Higher limits apply to verified merchants in specified categories only. What’s eligible, which apps support day-1, and how to prep (checklist include).
By bataSutra Editorial · September 9, 2025
In this piece:
  • What changes on Sep 15 (limits & scope)
  • Eligible categories (and how MCC mapping works)
  • Which apps honor it day-1; what varies by bank
  • Fraud guardrails (consumer & merchant)
  • Onboarding checklist

The short

  • Limits: Up to ₹5 lakh per transaction and up to ₹10 lakh/day aggregate for select P2M categories. P2P stays at ₹1 lakh/day.
  • Scope: Applies to verified merchants in eligible categories (capital markets, insurance, government services, travel, credit card bills, EMI/loan collections, jewellery, forex, term deposits, initial digital account funding, etc.).
  • Go-live: Effective September 15, 2025. Rollout depends on your acquiring bank/PSP and the payer app version.
  • Reality: Day-1 support can vary by app and acquirer. Check your app’s release notes and your merchant portal.

What exactly changes (Sep 15)

  • Per-txn cap: Up to ₹5,00,000 for eligible P2M categories.
  • Daily aggregate: Up to ₹10,00,000 across eligible P2M payments per customer (bank/app may set stricter sub-limits).
  • Unchanged: P2P/standard P2M default caps remain (typically ₹1,00,000/day) unless category-verified.
  • Eligibility: Your merchant must be onboarded as verified under the notified category by the acquiring bank/PSP.

Eligible categories (how it’s mapped)

NPCI defines categories; acquirers map your merchant setup (often via MCC or internal codes). Indicative families below—confirm with your acquirer:

Category (NPCI)ExamplesNotes on Mapping
Capital marketsBrokerage, ASBA/IPO, mutual fund purchaseOften maps to securities/brokerage MCC families; requires verified entity onboarding.
InsurancePremium paymentsInsurer/TPA onboarding; payer apps may flag as “high-value eligible”.
Government services / taxesGST, direct taxes, utility/government portalsGovt/PSU merchant IDs; many already supported for higher caps.
Credit card bill paymentsVisa/Mastercard/RuPay card bill via UPIIssuer/acquirer mapping required; daily aggregate applies.
EMI & loan collectionsNBFC/bank EMI, loan repaymentsCollector must be verified under collections.
TravelAirlines, IRCTC, OTAsHigh-value bookings; rollout varies by acquirer.
Jewellery & forexJewellers, authorised FX dealersSubject to KYC & risk controls; bank sub-limits may apply.
Term deposits & account fundingInitial digital account funding, depositsBank-to-bank flows via verified rails only.

Note Your MCC is indicative—banks ultimately decide category eligibility and limits for your merchant ID.

Which apps honor it day-1?

Announced / communicating support

  • Paytm (UPI): Public comms indicate support for ₹5L/txn and ₹10L/day across eligible categories, effective Sep 15 (subject to acquirer mapping).

Rolling / bank-dependent

  • PhonePe / Google Pay / bank apps: Rollout tied to acquirer enablement + app updates. Check in-app help & release notes; limits may show per merchant.

Reminder: Even when the payer app supports higher limits, the merchant must be verified and the acquirer must enable the category flag—else defaults apply.

Fraud guardrails (what to expect)

  • Beneficiary name hardening: Stronger name-match display and checks during UPI flows.
  • Snapshot risk checks: Apps/banks may add additional confirmation prompts above certain thresholds.
  • App-level caps: Some apps keep stricter per-txn/day caps initially, especially for new devices/KYC states.
  • No change to P2P: Keep using standard safety practices; higher limits are not for P2P.

Checklist (copy-paste)

  1. Confirm category: Ask your acquirer/PSP which NPCI category you’re mapped to and whether you qualify as a verified merchant.
  2. KYC & docs: Ensure latest KYC, licenses (e.g., IRDAI/SEBI/RBI scope where applicable) and compliance proofs are on file.
  3. Enable high-value flag: Request acquirer to switch on the category limit flag; test a ₹2–3L pilot transaction.
  4. Update T&Cs & checkout: Show “UPI High-Value Enabled (₹5L/txn)” badges; display per-txn/day limits and refund SLAs.
  5. Risk SOP: Add step-up authentication for large-ticket orders; monitor refunds/chargebacks daily in the first week.
  6. Support playbook: Train agents on app-wise quirks and bank-wise sub-limits; document fallback via IMPS/NEFT.
Testing tip: Use small pilots across multiple payer apps and banks; log failures with payer-bank codes for acquirer escalation.

FAQ

  • Does this apply to P2P? No—P2P limits are unchanged.
  • Are ₹10L/day limits universal? No—bank/app may impose lower caps; merchant must be verified under the eligible category.
  • Will every jeweller/OTA get ₹5L/txn? Only if onboarded as verified under the eligible category by the acquirer/PSP.