Running a household today often means managing more than your own payments. You may be coordinating day-to-day expenses for children, supporting ageing parents, or enabling trusted staff to handle routine purchases. While digital payments have made this easier than ever, and yet many families still need a more structured way to share payment access without losing control. Recently BHIM Payments App introduced the UPI Circle feature, which is designed for exactly this. It enables a primary user to extend controlled payment access to trusted people, with clear limits, full visibility, and the comfort of knowing that security and accountability remain intact.
UPI Circle addresses this gap by enabling controlled and secure delegation. It allows a primary user to authorise a secondary user to make UPI payments from the primary user’s bank account within preset limits and with full visibility. This makes digital payments more practical for shared household use, without the unsafe practice of sharing UPI PINs, passwords, or device access.
What is UPI Circle?
UPI Circle is a feature that allows users to create a trusted circle on a UPI platform and authorise payments for family members or other trusted people. A primary user can add up to five secondary users and allow them to transact from the primary user’s UPI linked bank account within defined limits. The secondary user can also generate their own UPI ID under the circle, enabling them to pay independently within the permissions set by the primary user.
How does UPI Circle work?
UPI Circle provides a structured way to delegate payments without losing control. A primary user can authorise a secondary user to make UPI payments directly from the primary user’s bank account. The primary user can set a monthly spending limit of up to ₹15,000 and define the validity of the authorisation from one month up to five years. Every transaction made by the secondary user is visible to the primary user, creating transparency and a clear audit trail.
How safe is UPI Circle?
UPI Circle is designed to enable delegation without compromising security. The primary user retains full control and can track transactions, review records, adjust permissions, and unlink access at any time. By replacing informal workarounds such as sharing UPI PINs, UPI Circle is intended to reduce risk while supporting everyday convenience.
How UPI Circle fits into everyday situations:
· For senior citizens: UPI Circle enables seniors to make small daily payments with confidence, while family members can set limits and monitor spends for safety and support.
· For children and students: Parents can use UPI Circle to provide digital pocket money to teenagers and children, while keeping spending controlled for daily and education-related needs. With preset limits, payments stay planned without the need for repeated transfers.
· For small businesses: Shop owners and small operators can authorise staff to make payments for fuel, tolls, or local purchases while maintaining a clear record of spends.
· For families with different levels of digital comfort: Working professionals can support dependents who are less familiar with apps, without sharing bank details, UPI PINs, or device access.