During the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2024, Google announced new features for its UPI app. These features will soon be available for Google Pay users on both Android and iOS platforms by the end of the year. Some of the features introduced during the festival include UPI Circle, UPI Voucher or eRupi, Clickpay QR Scan, Rent Utility Payment, and Tap and Pay Video RuPay Card. The UPI payments app outlined the new features in a blog post. The app mentioned that these features will make it easier for users to interact with payments and financial tools.
UPI Circle
UPI Circle is a new feature from NPCI that empowers UPI account holders to authorise trusted individuals to make digital payments, even if they do not have a bank account. This feature can be especially helpful for older family members without bank accounts or a Google Pay-linked account who need to make UPI payments.
These family members can choose between a Partial Delegation privilege, requiring the primary user to approve every transaction, and a Full Delegation privilege, providing a monthly limit of up to Rs. 15,000. This feature is being launched in partnership with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
UPI Vouchers or eRupi
UPI Vouchers or eRupi is a direct benefit transfer (DBT) feature launched in 2021, will soon be supported on Google Pay. With this feature, individuals can generate a prepaid voucher linked to a mobile number and use it to make digital payments, even without linking a bank account to UPI. This feature is being brought to the platform in collaboration with NPCI and the Department of Financial Services.
Clickpay QR scan
Clickpay QR scan enables users to conveniently pay their bills by scanning a custom QR code within the app. Users can only make these payments when the biller has generated a customised QR code for the customer. Once scanned, users will see the bill amount they need to pay, according to Google.
Google Pay is also introducing a convenient feature that enables users to make prepaid utility bill payments. Similar to the feature in Paytm, the app will identify a user's prepaid utility bills once they have added their customer data to the app. Following this, users will be able to make recurring payments to billers who support prepaid payments. This feature is being added in partnership with NPCI Bharat Billpay and will work across different categories.
Furthermore, Tap & Pay with RuPay Cards will be added to Google Pay later this year. With this feature, RuPay cardholders can add their RuPay card to the app and tap their near-field communication (NFC)-enabled smartphone on a card machine to make payments. Notably, card information is not stored in the app, the company stated.
Lastly, UPI Lite is getting an autopay feature, allowing users to automatically top up their UPI Lite account when the balance falls below a certain amount.
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