The VPA or UPI ID (UPI Address) is the key to BHIM UPI fund transfer system. It has replaced the need for bank account details. Whether it is BHIM App, Tez, Paytm or Phonepe, all UPI based apps use the UPI ID.
UPI ID is also known as the Virtual Payment Address (VPA). This address makes the BHIM UPI unique. On the basis of UPI ID, the BHIM UPI is most simple payment method. It is mobile-based fund transfer application. UPI has many benefits over the card payment, IMPS and digital wallets.
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What is UPI ID or VPA
If you want to pay money to anyone without using the cash, then you need the bank account number of the payee. Along with the bank account number, you also require the IFSC code. In other words, the bank account number and IFSC code is the address to pay the money.
But your bank account details can help the fraudsters. Using bank account details, the fraudsters try to cheat the gullible people. So it is always better if you can avoid exposing your bank account. The VPA or UPI ID fulfills this requirement. This address is linked to your mobile number and account number.
UPI ID or VPA is a Virtual payment address which is used in place of bank account details for the fund transfer. This address is unique to every user. It is very flexible and you can change it.
Since it is not your actual payment address but act as the payment address (bank account details), It is called as the virtual payment address or VPA. The UPI ID resembles the email ID. For example, you can have a UPI ID as rishi21@axis or shruti@PNB or 98765__210@upi.
UPI Address and BHIM UPI
Because of the UPI ID, the BHIM UPI easily hides the bank account details. The whole transaction of BHIM UPI takes place without the use of bank accounts.
Only the NPCI knows to which account a VPA or UPI ID is linked. The NPCI itself does the transaction. The banks only act as the creditor and deductor.
Benefits of UPI ID
- You do not give bank account number to receive money.
- It is easy to remember than the bank account number and IFSC.
- To be more secure, you can change the it whenever you suspect.
- You can get UPI ID of your choice.
Know More in details about the benefits of UPI ID
How To get VPA or UPI Address
The VPA is a part of the BHIM UPI payment system. Therefore, you have to download the UPI App to get the virtual payment address. With the download, you have to link a bank account to the UPI app. The BHIM UPI app is linked to the bank account through the mobile number. Therefore, you should use the mobile number which is linked to the desired bank account. You must download the app on the same mobile which is linked to bank account.
After the mobile verification, you have to go through another round of verification. It can be a grid, security answer or any other authentication. After the authentication, you can create a VPA or UPI ID for your given account.
Like an email address, you have to give your choice of VPA and check for the availability. If the given Address is available, proceed. Otherwise, try another address.
If your VPA is unique, you would get instant approval. You can use it immediately for getting money from another BHIM UPI app user.
Rules of UPI address
- You can have many virtual payment addresses. However, not every UPI App gives this flexibility. For example in the tez app, you can’t create UPI ID yourself.
- You can change it whenever you wish. It is also not possible with the Tez.
- No two UPI Address would be the same
- You can link many accounts with one VPA but you have to set an account as the default. At a time one VPA would be linked to only one account.
- You can’t choose the suffix of the VPA. It is fixed by the UPI App.
Different Names of VPA
There may be some confusion for the term VPA. As different apps use a different term for this address
VPA or Virtual Payment Address
It is the basic name. This term is used since UPI payment system is being used. BHIM SBI Pay, PhonePe, Pockets and BHIM Axis Pay use this term.
UPI ID
The BHIM app started to use the term UPI ID instead of the VPA. Axis Pay also used this term.
UPI Address
The Google Pay (Tez) uses UPI Address instead of VPA or UPI ID.
VPA Suffix of the Different Banks
SBI Pay – @SBI
ICICI Bank UPI– @icici
PNB UPI – @PNB
HDFC Bank UPI – @HDFC
Axis bank – @axis
Yes Bank – @YBL
Bank of Baroda – @barodapay
BHIM – @upi
Paytm Payment Bank – @paytm
Google Pay (Tez) – It has many Suffixes depends upon your bank.
Transfer Money Using VPA or UPI ID
The main use of the virtual payment address is the fund transfer. To give money to anyone using the UPI method, you must know the VPA of the beneficiary. These are the steps of money transfer.
- Open the UPI enabled app and enter the PIN
- Choose the option of fund transfer through the UPI
- Enter the beneficiary UPI ID, amount and remarks.
- If you have multiple accounts/virtual payment addresses, you can choose the VPA you would like to debit. Click on Submit
- Confirm all the details
- Enter MPIN to authenticate the fund transfer.
Get Money Using VPA or UPI address
UPI provides a way to ask money from someone. Let us see the steps.
- Login to UPI-based app.
- Click on UPI and then choose “Collect via UPI”
- enter the VPA or UPI ID of the person from whom you want money.
- Enter the amount and remarks
- If you have multiple accounts/virtual payment addresses, choose the address to which you want money.
- Submit the details and wait for the approval
- When the person approves your asking amount, you would get it.
Not only the virtual payment address (VPA), the UPI is also working on Payment using the Aadhaar number. In the new version of UPI, you can also use Aadhaar number instead of VPA to pay money. You can also try the Aadhaar Payment app which is suitable for the rural area. Besides these payment methods, there are other methods of digital payments which makes your life easy and convenient.