Google Pay Updates: New UPI Caps + Thomas Cook Payment Tie‑Up

Google Pay Updates: New UPI Caps + Thomas Cook Payment Tie‑Up

Google Pay gets updated UPI rules from Aug 1: balance & account-view limits enforced. Plus new tie-up with Thomas Cook for contactless forex card payments.

"Google Pay Updates": Major Changes to UPI & New Travel Partnership

Starting August 1, 2025, Google Pay users will experience a series of significant updates to their UPI transactions, as mandated by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). These "New UPI rules Aug 2025" aim to enhance system efficiency, security, and reliability. In addition to these regulatory changes, Google Pay has also announced a strategic "Google Pay Thomas Cook" payment tie-up, revolutionizing contactless forex card payments for Indian travelers.

These updates underscore the continuous evolution of India's digital payments landscape, focusing on both robust infrastructure and expanded utility for users.

"New UPI Rules Aug 2025": What You Need to Know

The NPCI's new guidelines, effective from August 1, introduce several caps and operational adjustments across all UPI apps, including Google Pay. These changes are primarily designed to reduce system overload during peak hours and improve overall transaction success rates.

Key Updates to UPI Usage:

• "UPI Balance Cap 50": Users can now check their account balance a maximum of 50 times per day per UPI app. This limit applies to manual, user-initiated requests, preventing apps from running automatic background balance checks.
• "Account View Limit 25": The feature allowing users to view the list of bank accounts linked to their mobile number through UPI is now capped at 25 requests per user, per app, per day. Retries for failed requests will only occur with user consent.
• Auto-Debit Timing: Recurring payments (AutoPay mandates for subscriptions, bills, EMIs) will now primarily be processed during non-peak hours (before 10 AM, between 1 PM and 5 PM, and after 9:30 PM). This aims to reduce congestion during high-traffic periods.
• Auto-Debit Retries: Each auto-debit attempt will be limited to one main try and up to three retries, totaling four chances to complete a payment linked to a mandate.
• Inactive UPI ID Deactivation: UPI IDs linked to mobile numbers inactive for more than 12 months will be automatically disabled to prevent misuse.
• Recipient Name Verification: The recipient's registered name is now mandatorily displayed before every UPI payment, enhancing security and reducing mistaken transfers (this rule began in June 2025 but remains emphasized).
• UPI Through Credit Lines: From August 31, 2025, users can link pre-approved credit lines to UPI for payments and withdrawals, with specific daily limits (₹1 lakh for payments, ₹10,000 for cash withdrawals, 20 P2P transfers).

These backend changes are crucial for the scalability and stability of the UPI ecosystem, ensuring a smoother experience for millions of daily users.

"Google Pay Thomas Cook": Seamless "Forex Payments Google Pay"

In a pioneering move, Thomas Cook (India) Limited has partnered with Google Pay to enable contactless payments via its range of prepaid forex cards. This collaboration makes Thomas Cook India the first in the cross-border payments category in India to offer this convenience.

Key Benefits of the Partnership:

• Contactless Transactions: Thomas Cook forex cardholders can now effortlessly make payments using their mobile devices across retail 'tap & pay' (contactless) terminals or online, via Google Pay.
• Enhanced Security: Payments are secured through Google Pay's state-of-the-art network tokenization standards, adding an extra layer of protection.
• Convenience for Travelers: Eliminates the need to carry physical cards, reducing the stress of card loss or theft and the hassle of replacements.
• Global Access: Users can transact smoothly and seamlessly in over 95 countries where Visa (Thomas Cook's partner in this initiative) is accepted.
• Supported Cards: The integration supports various Thomas Cook forex cards, including Borderless Travel, One Currency, Study Buddy, and EnterpriseFX.

This partnership caters to the growing demand for seamless digital solutions in cross-border transactions, particularly among Indian Millennials and Gen Z travelers.

Continued Evolution: "ClickPay QR" & "UPI Circle Delegation"

Google Pay continues to integrate and enhance features within the UPI ecosystem. While not new for August 1, features like "ClickPay QR" and "UPI Circle delegation" remain relevant to the platform's broader strategy:

• ClickPay QR: This feature allows users to pay bills by simply scanning a ClickPay QR code, streamlining the process by removing the need to manually enter bill account details or long consumer IDs.
• UPI Circle Delegation: Google Pay's UPI Circle feature enables a primary user to delegate payment access to trusted individuals (secondary users), such as family or friends. This can be done with full delegation (where the secondary user can transact independently within set limits) or partial delegation (requiring the primary user's approval for each payment). This feature simplifies shared expenses and empowers dependents.

These features, alongside the new NPCI mandates and the Thomas Cook partnership, demonstrate Google Pay's commitment to providing a comprehensive, secure, and user-friendly digital payment experience.

Navigating the Evolving Digital Payment Landscape

The latest "Google Pay updates" bring significant changes to how users interact with UPI, particularly concerning "New UPI rules Aug 2025" like the "UPI balance cap 50" and "Account view limit 25." Simultaneously, the "Google Pay Thomas Cook" tie-up marks a notable expansion into "Forex payments Google Pay," offering enhanced convenience for international travelers.

Users are encouraged to familiarize themselves with these updates to ensure a smooth and secure digital payment experience moving forward.