Amazon Pay introduces PIN-free UPI payments using biometrics, allows transactions up to ₹5,000

Amazon Pay has rolled out UPI biometric authentication, becoming one of the first payment service providers in India to enable PIN-free UPI transactions using fingerprint or face recognition, in a move aimed at making digital payments faster and more intuitive.

The new feature allows customers to authorise UPI payments of up to ₹5,000 through biometric verification, eliminating the need to enter a UPI PIN. It is available across key payment flows, including peer-to-peer transfers, scan & pay, merchant payments, and balance checks on Amazon Pay UPI. The functionality is currently live for Android users.

Th company says early adoption has been strong, with more than 90% of eligible users choosing biometric authentication for peer-to-peer UPI transactions, indicating a clear preference for faster, low-friction payment experiences.

“Biometric authentication removes one more layer of friction from everyday payments and makes transactions significantly faster,” says Girish Krishnan, Director of Payments, Amazon India. “The early response reinforces that customers value speed, simplicity, and trust in digital payments.”

The company highlighted that biometric authentication offers enhanced security, as credentials are tied to the user’s device and cannot be shared, unlike PINs. It also enables one-handed usage, improving ease of use for frequent, small-value transactions.

From a regulatory standpoint, the feature aligns with existing Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and National Payments Corp. of India (NPCI) frameworks, which adopt a risk-based approach to authentication for low-value digital transactions. While UPI mandates strong customer authentication, it allows flexibility in the authentication method, provided credentials are securely bound to the user and device. Biometric authentication qualifies as a valid factor when implemented locally, and the ₹5,000 cap reflects regulatory thresholds designed to limit exposure. Users also retain the option to fall back on UPI PIN-based authorisation, ensuring compliance with consent, security, and grievance redressal norms.

The launch comes as competition intensifies in India’s digital payments market, where UPI has become the dominant rail for everyday transactions. Payment platforms are increasingly focusing on user experience innovations to drive higher engagement and retention amid slowing growth in new user additions.

With UPI biometric authentication, Amazon Pay is positioning itself at the forefront of the next phase of payments innovation, aligning with India’s broader push towards cashless transactions. Amazon Pay offers multiple payment instruments, including UPI, wallet balance, Pay Later, and a co-branded credit card, and continues to expand its presence across online and offline merchant ecosystems.