The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has announced that from February 1, 2025, special characters like @, !, or # will no longer be allowed in UPI transaction IDs. This change is being made to ensure that all UPI transactions follow the correct technical rules and to improve the safety of digital payments.
According to a notice from NPCI on January 9, UPI transaction IDs will need to be made up of only letters and numbers. Any ID that contains special symbols will be automatically rejected. While most UPI users are already following these rules, some are still using incorrect formats. To fix this, NPCI will start enforcing the new rule strictly from February 1, 2025.
For the millions of Indians who use UPI for daily transactions, this change could cause some issues. If a user tries to make a payment through an app that creates transaction IDs with special characters, the transaction will not go through. This means users will need to make sure that their apps are updated to comply with the new rule.
To prevent transaction failures, users are advised to follow a few simple steps. First, make sure their UPI apps are updated to the latest version, as updates often include compliance features and security enhancements. Also, users should check their app’s settings or announcements for any notifications related to NPCs's new rules to ensure everything is for smooth transactions.
If users are not sure about their app’s compliance, they can easily contact the app's customer support for clarification. It's also recommended to download UPI apps only from trusted sources like the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, as third-party apps may not always meet NPCI’s requirements.
The move to ban special characters in UPI transaction IDs is part of a larger effort to make the UPI system more standardized and secure. According to NPCI, UPI has become one of the most widely used digital payment methods in India, with transaction volumes reaching a record-breaking 16.73 billion in December 2024, an 8% increase from the previous month.