Amazon Pay has officially rolled out Amazon Pay adds biometric authentication for UPI payments support for UPI payments in India, allowing users to approve transactions using fingerprints or facial recognition instead of entering their UPI PIN. The feature, announced on Wednesday, positions Amazon Pay among a growing list of digital payment platforms adopting advanced security methods to make everyday transactions faster and safer.
With this update, Amazon Pay users can complete UPI payments of up to Rs. 5,000 using biometric verification, significantly reducing reliance on traditional PIN-based authentication. The US-based technology giant claims the new functionality improves transaction security while enabling quicker, one-handed usage across a range of payment scenarios.
UPI Payments Without Entering a PIN
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has transformed digital payments in India by enabling instant bank-to-bank transfers using smartphones. Traditionally, UPI transactions have required users to enter a four- or six-digit PIN to authorise payments. While effective, this method has also been vulnerable to fraud if a user’s PIN is compromised.
With biometric authentication now supported on Amazon Pay, users can verify transactions using fingerprints or face recognition, eliminating the need to type their UPI PIN for eligible payments. According to the company, this change addresses security concerns while making the payment experience more seamless.
Earlier, if a malicious actor gained access to a user’s UPI PIN, unauthorised payments could be made without the account holder’s knowledge. Amazon Pay says biometric authentication significantly reduces this risk by ensuring that transactions can only be approved using the account holder’s physical biometric data.
How Biometric Authentication Works on Amazon Pay
Amazon Pay’s biometric authentication leverages the fingerprint sensors and facial recognition systems already built into modern smartphones. Once enabled, users can authorise UPI payments by scanning their fingerprint or face when prompted by the app.
The company stated that biometric data is securely stored on the user’s device and is not shared externally, aligning with existing Android and iOS security frameworks. Facial and fingerprint authentication acts as a “secure key” for transaction approval, adding an extra layer of protection to digital payments.
Amazon Pay users can utilise biometric authentication across multiple use cases, including:
- Sending money to individuals
- Paying at offline stores using QR codes
- Making merchant payments
- Checking UPI-linked bank account balances
- Purchasing products on Amazon’s e-commerce platform
The integration ensures consistency across Amazon Pay’s payment ecosystem, allowing users to authenticate payments quickly without navigating multiple verification steps.
Transaction Limit Set at Rs. 5,000
While biometric authentication brings convenience, Amazon Pay has imposed a transaction cap to balance usability and security. Users can approve UPI payments of up to Rs. 5,000 using biometric verification. For transactions exceeding this limit, entering the UPI PIN remains mandatory.
This approach mirrors broader industry practices, where biometric authentication is often limited to lower-value transactions to minimise potential risks. By retaining PIN verification for higher amounts, Amazon Pay ensures compliance with regulatory guidelines while protecting users from high-value fraud.
The Rs. 5,000 cap aligns with consumer behaviour patterns, as most everyday UPI transactions fall well within this range, making biometric authentication suitable for routine payments such as groceries, transport, dining, and online shopping.
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Focus on Faster and One-Handed Transactions
Amazon claims the biometric authentication feature enables faster transactions, particularly in scenarios where users need to complete payments quickly. One-handed usage is especially beneficial in crowded retail environments, public transport settings, or when users are on the move.
By eliminating the need to type a PIN, Amazon Pay reduces friction in the payment flow. This improvement could encourage more users to rely on Amazon Pay for daily UPI transactions, strengthening its position in India’s competitive digital payments market.
The company also highlighted seamless integration across key features such as Send Money, Scan & Pay, and Merchant Payments, ensuring a uniform experience regardless of how users initiate transactions.
Amazon Pay Joins a Growing List of Biometric UPI Apps
Amazon Pay is not the first UPI platform to introduce biometric authentication in India. In October, Navi UPI announced fingerprint and facial recognition support for UPI payments, claiming to be the first app in the country to eliminate the need for a security PIN.
Later the same month, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) introduced biometric and wearable-based authentication methods for UPI transactions. NPCI’s initiative marked a significant step towards expanding authentication options beyond PINs, paving the way for innovation across the UPI ecosystem.
Samsung Wallet also rolled out biometric authentication for UPI payments towards the end of October, allowing users to verify transactions using fingerprints or facial recognition on compatible devices.
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Amazon Pay’s entry into this space reinforces a broader industry shift towards biometric security, as payment providers aim to improve user trust while streamlining transaction flows.
Role of NPCI and RBI in Biometric Payments
The expansion of biometric authentication for UPI payments has been facilitated by NPCI, which operates the UPI infrastructure under the supervision of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). NPCI has been exploring multiple authentication methods, including biometrics and wearable-based verification, to enhance security and accessibility.
Biometric authentication aligns with India’s broader digital identity framework, which has long relied on biometric data for services ranging from banking to government welfare schemes. However, NPCI has clarified that biometric UPI authentication does not involve centralised biometric databases and relies instead on device-level verification.
This distinction ensures that user privacy is maintained while enabling innovation in payment security. Amazon Pay’s implementation adheres to these standards, relying on smartphone hardware rather than external biometric systems.
Security Implications for Users
Biometric authentication offers several security advantages over traditional PIN-based verification. Unlike PINs, biometric data cannot be easily guessed, shared, or phished. This significantly reduces the risk of social engineering attacks, where fraudsters trick users into revealing sensitive information.
However, experts caution that biometric authentication should complement, not replace, other security measures. Amazon Pay’s decision to retain PIN authentication for higher-value transactions reflects this balanced approach.
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Users are also advised to secure their devices with strong lock-screen protection, as biometric authentication depends on the integrity of the smartphone’s operating system and hardware.
Impact on India’s Digital Payments Landscape
India is one of the world’s largest digital payments markets, with UPI processing billions of transactions every month. Innovations such as biometric authentication are expected to further accelerate adoption, particularly among users who find PIN-based systems cumbersome.
By simplifying the payment process, Amazon Pay and other platforms could drive increased usage among older users, first-time digital payment adopters, and those less comfortable with typing PINs.
The feature may also benefit merchants by reducing transaction times at checkout counters, improving overall customer experience.
Amazon Pay’s Broader Strategy in India
Amazon Pay has steadily expanded its services in India, offering UPI payments, bill payments, mobile recharges, and integration with Amazon’s e-commerce platform. The addition of biometric authentication aligns with Amazon’s broader strategy of enhancing convenience while maintaining strong security standards.
As competition intensifies among UPI apps, differentiation through user experience and security features has become increasingly important. Biometric authentication could serve as a key selling point for Amazon Pay, particularly for users already embedded in the Amazon ecosystem.
What Users Need to Know
To use biometric authentication on Amazon Pay, users must ensure that their smartphone supports fingerprint or facial recognition and that the feature is enabled at the system level. The option can then be activated within the Amazon Pay app settings.
Once enabled, users will be prompted to authenticate eligible UPI payments using biometrics instead of entering their PIN. For transactions above Rs. 5,000, the app will automatically require PIN verification.
Future of Biometric UPI Payments
The introduction of biometric authentication by major players like Amazon Pay signals a broader transformation in how digital payments are authorised in India. As technology evolves, biometric methods could become the default for low- and mid-value transactions, with PINs reserved for higher-risk scenarios.
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Wearable-based authentication, voice recognition, and behavioural biometrics may also play a role in the future, offering even more ways to secure digital payments.
For now, Amazon Pay’s biometric UPI feature represents a significant step forward in making payments faster, safer, and more user-friendly.
Conclusion
Amazon Pay’s support for biometric authentication for UPI payments in India marks an important milestone in the evolution of digital payments. By allowing users to approve transactions using fingerprints or facial recognition, the platform enhances security while simplifying everyday payments.
With a Rs. 5,000 transaction limit and continued reliance on PINs for higher amounts, Amazon Pay strikes a balance between convenience and safety. As biometric authentication becomes more widespread, users can expect a smoother, more secure UPI experience across India’s rapidly growing digital economy.
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