POP adds biometric authentication for UPI payments

By Milan Rojan

POP has launched fingerprint and Face ID authentication for UPI transactions, replacing the need for users to enter a 6-digit UPI PIN for eligible payments up to Rs 5,000 ($58). The feature has been made available for all Android users and is being rolled out gradually on iOS.

The Bengaluru-based payments app, which targets Gen Z users, said the update has been introduced to reduce friction in the payment journey and improve transaction success rates. POP said around one in every hundred payments on its platform failed at the authentication stage, with most issues linked to PIN entry errors, incorrect account selection or users abandoning payments under time pressure.

Under the new flow, users scan a QR code and complete payment authorisation using the biometric prompt on their device instead of a PIN keypad. POP said the feature covers most of its transaction volume, as it applies to payments of up to Rs 5,000 ($58), which is the NPCI threshold for biometric UPI authentication. Higher-value transactions will continue to require the UPI PIN.

The company said around 10,000 users have already enabled biometric authentication on at least one linked instrument since launch, with adoption taking place organically.

“India addressed digital payments infrastructure long ago, with real-time settlement, interoperability, and merchant acceptance, the successes of UPI. The remaining challenge is the user experience. The UPI PIN, once essential, now causes friction thus accounting for one in a hundred payment failures due to PIN errors rather than fraud or connectivity issues. Biometric authentication, like fingerprint unlocking your phone, is faster and more secure than knowledge-based methods, and should unify payment authorization with phone unlocking,” said Bhargav Errangi, Founder, POP.

POP said biometric data is processed only on the device and is not transmitted to its servers. The UPI PIN will remain available as a fallback. The feature supports Scan and Pay, peer-to-peer and peer-to-merchant transfers, and balance checks across linked bank accounts.

The company said the launch has been designed as a foundation for future biometric-gated payment features, including consent flows and UPI Lite auto top-ups.