The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has issued guidelines stating that inactive Unified Payments Interface (UPI) IDs, UPI numbers, and phone numbers of customers who haven't performed transactions for a year will be deactivated by December 31, 2023.
The move aims to enhance security, prevent unintended fund transfers, and safeguard user interests. Inactive UPI IDs won't accept inward credit transactions. Payment Service Providers (PSPs) will also deregister associated phone numbers.
Users with blocked UPI IDs can re-register for linkage. UPI apps must conduct Requester Validation before transactions and display accurate customer names. Over 11 billion UPI transactions worth ₹17.16 lakh crore occurred in October.