Amazon Pay has launched UPI Circle, a family payment solution, as well as announced the expansion of its payment ecosystem to smart devices.
UPI Circle now enables primary UPI account holders to securely add family members to their payment circle with either a one-time approval or a transaction-by-transaction authorisation. The initiatives were announced at the Global Fintech Festival.
Family payments via smartwatches
With the launch, families in India can make UPI payments using their own UPI ID or QR code, with no need for a separate bank account. In collaboration with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Amazon Pay also offers secure payment capabilities to smartwatches and wearables, utilising biometric authentication and device-level encryption. This initiative aims to move digital payments beyond smartphones and into everyday devices.
UPI account holders can now securely add family members and trusted contacts to pay instantly and set spending limits. Each member added will have their own UPI ID or QR code, and doesn’t need to operate a bank account, but will get access to fixed funds amounts approved by primary account holders. Payments are accessed without a PIN and enabled with additional biometric authentication.
The primary holder retains complete control over usage, including reviewing payment requests, setting spending limits, tracking expenses, and accessing detailed payment records. Amazon Pay believes that UPI Circle is a key step towards inclusive digital payments, as its features address the growing demand for family-managed and secure transactions.
The solution offers flexibility with both one-time approval (full delegation) and every time approval (partial delegation)-based UPI payments, supporting a wider range of payment scenarios such as sending money, scanning and paying at stores, online merchant payments, and shopping on Amazon. Future updates will include bill payments and subscriptions, targeting digitally savvy household managers who oversee family payments, and digital-native teens and other dependents without individual banking access.
UPI Circle also expands Amazon Pay’s rewards system to families, enabling them to earn personalised shopping rewards on every transaction. When meeting monthly milestones, users can qualify for 5% assured cashback on different shopping and payment categories. This aligns with Amazon Pay’s wider mission to simplify and personalise payments while supporting NPCO’s vision to expand digital payment adoption in India.
