Bank of Baroda launches biometric, face authentication, and IoT-based payment features on bob इ Pay

Bank of Baroda on Wednesday announced the launch of three new features on its UPI payments app, bob इ Pay, including mobile OS-native biometric authentication, UIDAI-based face authentication for setting or resetting UPI PINs, and Internet of Things (IoT)-based payments. 

The bank said bob इ Pay is a universal UPI application that can be used by customers of any bank. 

Speaking on the launch, Sanjay Mudaliar, Executive Director, Bank of Baroda, said customers increasingly expect digital payments to be seamless, intuitive and secure. “With these new capabilities on bob इ Pay, we are simplifying and enhancing the user experience while strengthening security. These innovations reflect our continued focus on delivering future-ready digital banking solutions for our customers,” he said. 

Under the mobile OS-native biometric authentication feature, customers can now authorise UPI transactions of up to ₹5,000 using fingerprint or face ID registered on their mobile devices. 

Features at a glance

The bank said the feature enables PIN-free transactions, allowing users to make faster and more seamless payments without needing to remember multiple PINs. It also enhances security through device-level biometric authentication, ensuring only the registered device owner can approve transactions. 

Customers will continue to have the option of choosing either biometric authentication or UPI PIN-based authorisation for transactions. The feature supports both person-to-person (P2P) and person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions, along with balance enquiries. The bank has also introduced Aadhaar-based face authentication to help users set or reset their UPI PINs without relying on debit cards or OTP-based Aadhaar verification. 

According to the bank, the UIDAI face authentication feature enables users to verify their identity through facial recognition and securely set or reset their UPI PIN using a bank OTP. 

UPI payments through IoT devices

In another move aimed at expanding digital payments beyond smartphones, Bank of Baroda has enabled UPI payments through IoT devices on the bob इ Pay app. Customers can now link supported connected vehicles and smart appliances to the app and make UPI payments directly through those devices. 

The bank said IoT-based payments are an extension of the delegate payments framework, allowing a primary user to authorise a secondary user or device to execute transactions within predefined limits. 

Each IoT device can be linked to only one primary user at a time to ensure exclusive ownership, transaction accountability and enhanced security, it added. The lender said the latest additions reinforce its focus on innovation in digital payments while improving customer convenience and security.