Samsung has introduced on-device biometric authentication for UPI payments through Samsung Wallet in India, allowing Galaxy smartphone users to authorise transactions using their fingerprint instead of entering a UPI PIN.
The feature is available for UPI payments of up to ₹10,000. Users can authenticate a transaction through the fingerprint sensor on their Galaxy device, making the payment process similar to unlocking the smartphone.
The company said the move is aimed at making everyday digital payments faster while reducing the need to enter sensitive PIN information in public. Samsung also claims that biometric authentication could reduce transaction failures resulting from incorrectly entered UPI PINs.
The authentication takes place on the device, with Samsung positioning the feature as a privacy-focused alternative to manually entering a PIN. The company said its implementation combines biometric authentication with its existing security systems to protect users’ information.
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Samsung Wallet already supports several digital payment and identification functions. In addition to UPI payments, the platform supports contactless payments through tokenised credit and debit cards, as well as utility bill payments. Users can also store digital keys, boarding passes, tickets and ID cards within the application.
The platform is secured using Samsung Knox and incorporates fingerprint recognition and encryption to protect sensitive information. Samsung said secured data is stored in a protected environment designed to guard against both digital and physical hacking attempts.
With UPI now handling a significant share of India’s everyday digital payments, biometric authentication could make smaller transactions more convenient for Galaxy users. The ₹10,000 limit, however, means that payments above that threshold will continue to require the conventional authentication process.
Samsung’s new feature is being rolled out as part of Samsung Wallet’s broader integration with the Galaxy ecosystem, with the company positioning the platform as a single destination for payments, digital credentials and other everyday services.