Amazon Pay launches 'UPI Circle' in India: What is it?
What's the story
Amazon Pay has launched a new feature called 'UPI Circle' to make digital payments more inclusive. The announcement was made at the Global FinTech Festival 2025 in Mumbai. The innovative service allows families to pay together, with the main account holder having full control over transactions. Each added member gets their own UPI ID or QR code but doesn't need a separate bank account for transactions.
Feature details
UPI Circle offers pin-less transactions
With UPI Circle, the main account holder can securely add family members or trusted contacts for instant UPI payments within predefined spending limits. The transactions are PIN-less and verified through biometric authentication, ensuring security. Girish Krishnan, Director of Payments and Merchant Services at Amazon Pay India, said, "UPI Circle marks a transformative step toward inclusive digital payments."
Device integration
Support for smart devices
Along with UPI Circle, Amazon Pay is also expanding the UPI payment ecosystem to trusted smart devices like smartwatches and wearables. The feature will offer tap-and-go payments with biometric security, device-level encryption, and real-time fraud detection. Users will be able to make quick transactions, receive instant notifications, and manage payments across multiple devices.
Versatility
Expanding digital payment access
The UPI Circle facility supports a wide range of use cases, including person-to-person transfers, merchant payments, and also online shopping. Future updates will also cover bill payments and subscriptions. The service is aimed at digitally-savvy household managers and young users.
Reward expansion
Integrating rewards ecosystem
UPI Circle also extends Amazon Pay's rewards ecosystem to all family members. As users complete the transactions, they can earn cashback and shopping rewards, including up to 5% assured cashback on select categories after meeting monthly milestones. Krishnan said this move aligns with Amazon Pay's mission to simplify and personalize payments while supporting NPCI's broader goal of expanding digital payment adoption across India.