You don’t need debit card to activate UPI: Here’s how to activate UPI using Aadhaar

Punjab National Bank recently announced that its customers can activate the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) using Aadhaar-based one-time password (OTP) authentication

Earlier, to activate UPI, customers had to mandatorily use a valid debit card number for OTP authentication to set up a PIN while registering

This process was restricting access for many bank account holders who do not have a debit card handy.


According to the PNB tweet, “Did you know? You don't need your Debit card to register for UPI. Ride the UPI wave with Aadhaar Card and scan away! For more info, visit: https://bit.ly/3V9NOw3.”


According to the NPCI website, “Introduction of Aadhaar OTP a better and easier way of set /reset UPI and shall address the requirement of those user segments who do not have debit card and would like to on board and experience the UPI platform for making payment.”

How to set UPI PIN using Aadhaar?

Step 1: Choose to set new UPI PIN on the UPI app
Step 2: Pick Aadhaar based verification for the same
Step 3: Accept and provide consent
Step 4: Validate by typing the last 6 digits of Aadhaar card
Step 5: Enter OTP received on registered mobile number
Step 6: Accept and provide consent
Step 7: Once the bank validates, enter a new UPI PIN and confirm.

According to the NPCI website, “Customer consent is required to be taken as the Aadhaar number of the customer is being fetched and validated for setting UPI Pin Customer consent has to be taken for every set UPI PIN using Aadhaar.”

Customers should be able to set UPI Pins via Aadhaar OTP only if their mobile number is Aadhaar linked and their bank account is linked. Customers should ensure that the mobile number associated with their bank account and Aadhaar/UIDAI are the same.

Customer will have the option to set UPI PIN using Aadhaar and if customer’s bank doesn’t support it same will be communicated to the customer.