HDFC Bank will charge for UPI cash withdrawals from April
What's the story
HDFC Bank has announced that it will charge customers for Unified Payment Interface (UPI) cash withdrawals at its ATMs, starting April 1, 2026. The bank said in a customer communication that these transactions will now be counted within the monthly free ATM transaction limit. Once this limit is exceeded, standard charges will apply. The move is aimed at standardizing fee structures across different channels.
Fee details
Fee structure for UPI transactions
The bank clarified in its communication that "UPI cash withdrawals at ATMs will be included as part of your monthly free ATM transaction limit." It further added, "Once the free limit is exhausted, a fee of ₹23 + taxes per withdrawal will apply." This change brings UPI cash withdrawals in line with regular ATM cash withdrawal charges.
Existing policy
Free withdrawal limits per month
Currently, HDFC Bank offers five free withdrawal transactions across its own ATMs for savings and salary accounts. For non-HDFC Bank ATMs, the bank provides a limit of three transactions in top six cities and five transactions in the rest. This policy will remain unchanged even after the new charges come into effect from April 1, 2026.
Transparency
Banks are working to expand cash access through UPI
The bank stressed that this update is part of its commitment to maintaining transparent and consistent transaction charges. The move comes as part of a larger effort by banks to expand cardless cash access through UPI-enabled ATM withdrawals. These allow customers to withdraw money without a debit card by scanning a QR code at participating machines and authorizing the transaction through their UPI app.