Want to make digital payment without UPI? Here’s how to do it using your Aadhaar card number

The era of digital payments has taken over India as the COVID-19 pandemic urged the masses to go cashless for the majority of their transactions. Not only does the digital mode of payment save time, but it also gives the users a variation of discounts and cashback, saving their money.

Though digital payments are a part of daily lives for almost all vendors and shop owners, many customers still have not gotten the hang of it. Many people don’t have access to smartphones, or can’t understand how the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) address works.

Now, such users have the provision to make digital payments without any hassles, by using their Aadhaar card number. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has announced that persons who use BHIM (Bharat Interface for Money) can send money digitally without a UPI address and a smartphone.

To send money through your Aadhaar number, one can see the option to do so in the ‘beneficiaries’ option in BHIM. Mentioned below is how you can send money on BHIM using your Aadhaar card number-

How to send money on BHIM using Aadhaar

If you want to make a digital transaction on BHIM, you must provide the beneficiary's 12 digits unique Aadhaar number and press the verify button to send or transfer money using the Aadhaar number. The Aadhaar linkage will be authenticated and the user will be able to transfer the money.

UIDAI said that as soon as the money is sent to the receiver, it will be credited to the bank account chosen by UIDAI to receive DBT/Aadhaar Based credits. All the retailers who use Aadhaar Pay POS can receive digital payments if the sender is using their Aadhaar number or fingerprint.

In an official statement, UIDAI said, “While making Aadhaar Based payment, you will be given an option to choose the bank name from which you want to pay. Thus, you have the choice of deciding the bank, each time you make a payment.”

Similar to UPI payments and digital transactions, the money from your account will be deducted immediately while you are using Aadhaar Pay to make payments online.