UPI Lite Now Expands To Wearable Smart Glasses In India

Smart glasses can now be used for digital payments under UPI Lite by simply scanning a QR code and providing a voice command. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) stated that small-value transactions will not require a mobile phone or a payment authentication PIN, and consumers can make the payments easily and rapidly.

This is targeted at day-to-day transactions like retail shopping, food orders, or transport tickets. By eliminating the necessity of a phone or PIN, the wearable payment system is meeting increasing pressures for frictionless digital payments, allowing users to pay on the move with ease. NPCI also uploaded a video describing the process, captioned with the slogan 'Look Speak Pay', demonstrating how users can authenticate and transact without using their hands.

Next-Gen Payment Innovation

Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor T Rabi Sankar announced this at the Global Fintech Fest 2025. UPI Lite has been designed for low-value, high-frequency payments with greater success rates and low dependence on core banking systems. UPI to extend to wearables for the first time is a move towards ambient payments, where payments become integral to consumers' lives.

The innovation will improve banks and payment service providers by reducing load on core banking systems. Payments done through throw-CBS wallets help in handling huge volumes of transactions effectively, and prompting the users to switch to more convenient digital payments.

Boosting Convenience and Digital Leadership

Integrating UPI Lite in smart glasses solidifies India's status as a global power of digital payments innovation. NPCI said the wearable payment solution provides greater convenience for customers while challenging banks and other financial institutions to adopt agile payment technologies. With this launch, India moves nearer to realising a world where payments are faster, more secure, and even a part of the seamless digital way of life of its people.

The Unified Payments Interface platform, owned and operated by NPCI, continues to be at the forefront of innovation in India's retail payments segment. NPCI, which was set up as an initiative of the Reserve Bank of India and the Indian Banks' Association, has a mandate to create a robust payment and settlement infrastructure, and the wearable UPI Lite launch represents a pivotal moment towards this goal.