New UPI update: Personalised IDs arrive on Paytm and Google Pay for safer payments

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India's fondness for UPI payments is still growing, with billions of transactions happening every month. But with popularity comes risk—scammers have increasingly targeted unsuspecting users by tricking them into revealing sensitive details linked to their UPI IDs. Now, there’s good news for anyone worried about privacy. According to a report by News18, Paytm and Google Pay are rolling out a feature that allows users to personalise their UPI IDs, making them look as simple as an email address.

Until now, most UPI IDs were directly linked to a person’s mobile number, making it easier for fraudsters to misuse. By allowing users to set customised IDs with alphabets and numbers, apps like Paytm and Google Pay aim to protect personal data while keeping payments seamless, the report added. This small change could go a long way in improving security and user confidence.

How it works

On Paytm (and soon on other UPI apps), creating a customised UPI ID is simple:

• Open the Paytm app on your phone
• Tap the Profile icon on the top-left corner
• Scroll down to UPI & Payment settings
• Check the list of all your linked UPI accounts and IDs
• Tap View to see your current UPI ID
• Create a new UPI ID using a mix of alphabets and digits

This feature helps mask your mobile number and makes payments more secure.

More changes coming to UPI

The move comes at a time when regulators have also asked apps to tighten controls on payment requests, with stricter rules kicking in from October 2. With personalised UPI IDs and stronger guardrails, digital payments are set to become not just faster, but also safer for millions of Indians.