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CRED has introduced biometric authentication for UPI payments on its platform, enabling users to authorise transactions using facial recognition or fingerprint verification.
The feature is available on both iOS and Android devices for transactions of up to ₹5,000. It covers a range of UPI use cases on the app, including credit card bill payments, utility bill payments, merchant transactions, scan-and-pay, peer-to-peer transfers, and balance checks.
The rollout is aimed at reducing dependence on PIN-based authentication by allowing users to leverage device-level biometric systems. This is expected to simplify the payment process by reducing steps involved in authorisation and lowering the likelihood of errors such as incorrect PIN entry.
According to the company, biometric authentication also adds an additional layer of security by limiting risks associated with PIN exposure. The system relies on authentication methods already enabled on users’ devices and operates within existing regulatory guidelines.
The feature has been developed in partnership with the National Payments Corporation of India, which manages the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). It allows the use of alternative authentication methods alongside the UPI PIN framework.
UPI has seen rapid growth in recent years, with increasing adoption across retail payments, bill settlements and peer-to-peer transfers. The introduction of biometric-based approvals reflects broader efforts within the ecosystem to enhance transaction security and improve user experience.
CRED said the feature is currently limited to transactions up to ₹5,000, indicating a phased approach to adoption.
The feature is available on both iOS and Android devices for transactions of up to ₹5,000. It covers a range of UPI use cases on the app, including credit card bill payments, utility bill payments, merchant transactions, scan-and-pay, peer-to-peer transfers, and balance checks.
The rollout is aimed at reducing dependence on PIN-based authentication by allowing users to leverage device-level biometric systems. This is expected to simplify the payment process by reducing steps involved in authorisation and lowering the likelihood of errors such as incorrect PIN entry.
According to the company, biometric authentication also adds an additional layer of security by limiting risks associated with PIN exposure. The system relies on authentication methods already enabled on users’ devices and operates within existing regulatory guidelines.
The feature has been developed in partnership with the National Payments Corporation of India, which manages the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). It allows the use of alternative authentication methods alongside the UPI PIN framework.
UPI has seen rapid growth in recent years, with increasing adoption across retail payments, bill settlements and peer-to-peer transfers. The introduction of biometric-based approvals reflects broader efforts within the ecosystem to enhance transaction security and improve user experience.
CRED said the feature is currently limited to transactions up to ₹5,000, indicating a phased approach to adoption.
