NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India), in collaboration with UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India), may introduce Aadhaar-based face authentication for high-value financial transactions. UIDAI Deputy Director General Abhishek Kumar Singh confirmed this groundbreaking development at the Global Fintech Fest 2025. He stated that face authentication is the only way to ensure authenticity. This move will not only make payments superfast but also make India’s digital payment system the most secure in the world.
Why is face authentication necessary for high-value transactions
UIDAI believes that face authentication based on biometric data is the most reliable method. India has the world’s largest biometric database, and using this infrastructure can provide extreme security in high-value financial transactions.
The easiest and fastest way
Abhishek Kumar Singh stated that NPCI is already working on this unique idea, and an announcement is expected soon. He urged other bankers to join this secure system. He believes it is the easiest and fastest way to authenticate someone.
Smartphones Will Become the Verification Tool
He clarified that authentication currently requires a device-specific framework. But with the introduction of face recognition, your smartphone itself will become your authentication tool. There are over 640 million smartphones in India, which means the device ecosystem will grow exponentially overnight. This will make this remarkable feature readily available to any smartphone user.
NPCI’s Big Announcement
While UIDAI is emphasizing face authentication, NPCI has also made an important announcement. According to NPCI, payments can now be made through wearable smartglasses using the UPI Lite feature.
Superfast Payments Without a PIN
Users simply need to scan a QR code and give a voice command. NPCI stated that this feature requires neither a mobile phone nor a PIN. UPI Lite was specifically developed for low-value and recurring payments. NPCI demonstrated in a video that making payments with UPI Lite through smart glasses is as seamless as “look, speak, and pay.”