Samsung Wallet to Enable PIN-less UPI Payments Using Biometrics in India from December

Samsung Wallet is rolling out a significant upgrade in India from December, enabling users to conduct small-value Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions using only their device's biometrics, such as fingerprint or facial recognition. This feature eliminates the need for entering a PIN for everyday payments.

Madhur Chaturvedi, Senior Director at Samsung India, stated that this biometric authentication enhances the user experience within Samsung Wallet, making payments quicker and more secure. This functionality is akin to the existing UPI Lite feature, which already allows PIN-less transactions for smaller amounts.

For users purchasing new Samsung smartphones from early next year, the devices will come with a pre-integrated UPI account onboarding process, simplifying the setup for new UPI users.

Samsung Wallet will also soon support direct online usage of stored credit and debit cards, removing the need for manual detail entry at participating merchants.

Impact This move by Samsung Wallet is expected to boost digital payment adoption and user convenience in India, potentially increasing transaction volumes through the platform. It also intensifies competition in the mobile payments space, pushing for more integrated and secure user experiences. Rating: 7/10

Difficult Terms: UPI: Unified Payments Interface. A real-time payment system developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) facilitating inter-bank transactions. UPI Lite: A simplified version of UPI for small-value transactions, designed for faster processing and offline capabilities, often without needing a PIN for amounts below a certain threshold. Biometrics: A security process that relies on unique biological characteristics to verify identity. Examples include fingerprint scanning and facial recognition.