How much should you be able to spend through UPI in a day? And what happens when your card gets blocked overseas because a legitimate transaction looks suspicious? Axis Bank is attempting to put more of those decisions directly in customers’ hands.

Axis Bank has introduced two new features aimed at giving customers greater control over digital payments: UPI Limit Management, which allows users to set personalised transaction limits across different categories of UPI payments, and International Travel Declaration, which lets eligible credit-card customers tell the bank about upcoming overseas travel.

The features are part of the bank’s broader Safe Banking proposition and are designed to address two common concerns with digital payments: preventing unintended high-value transactions and avoiding legitimate transactions being declined because they look unusual.

You can set separate UPI limits for different types of payments

The new UPI Limit Management feature allows customers to decide how much they are comfortable transacting through different UPI categories.

Customers can set individual limits for:

• Person-to-Person (P2P) payments — such as sending money to friends or family
• Domestic merchant payments — payments made to businesses in India
• International merchant payments

For example, someone who routinely uses UPI for small everyday purchases but rarely makes large transfers could set a lower limit for transactions, potentially reducing the financial exposure from an unauthorised or accidental high-value payment.

The feature is particularly useful because customers do not have to manage these limits separately on every UPI app.

One setting applies across the UPI ecosystem

One of the key aspects of the feature is that the limits configured through the Axis Mobile Banking App apply across all UPI applications linked to the customer's Axis Bank account.

That means a customer using multiple UPI apps does not need to configure separate limits on each platform.

The bank said customers can view or change their limits through:

Quick Links → Safety Centre → UPI Module → Control Centre

Changes require authentication through MPIN and OTP, with confirmation sent through in-app notifications and SMS alerts.

The feature is currently being rolled out to a limited set of customers and is expected to be made available to the wider customer base soon.

Why setting a UPI limit could matter

UPI has made it possible to move money almost instantly, but that convenience also means that a compromised account or an incorrectly entered transaction can potentially result in money leaving an account quickly.

A personalised limit does not replace other security measures, but it can provide an additional layer of protection.

The idea is similar to setting a spending boundary: customers who know that they generally make only low-value UPI payments can choose a threshold that reflects their normal behaviour rather than relying solely on the bank's default controls.

It also gives customers greater visibility into their own digital-payment behaviour.

Travelling abroad? You can tell the bank first

The second feature addresses a different problem—legitimate international card transactions being declined because they look unusual.

Fraud-detection systems typically assess transactions based on factors such as geography and spending patterns. A sudden purchase in another country can therefore look very different from a customer's normal transaction history.

Axis Bank's International Travel Declaration allows eligible credit-card customers to digitally declare their travel plans before leaving India.

Customers can access the feature through:

Credit Card → Control Center → International Travel

By providing information about travel intent in advance, customers can give the bank additional context when it assesses transactions made overseas.

What does this mean for a traveller?

Suppose a customer normally uses their card in Delhi but suddenly begins making transactions in Paris, Singapore or London. From a fraud-monitoring perspective, that change in geography could warrant additional scrutiny.

If the customer has already declared the trip, the bank has an additional piece of information indicating that the overseas spending may be genuine.

• The capability helps customers travel with greater confidence by:
• Securely capturing travel intent in advance, enabling a more informed risk assessment process.
• Improving the identification of genuine overseas transactions through richer contextual inputs.
• Reducing avoidable declines triggered by fraud controls, while continuing to maintain robust security safeguards.
• Delivering a seamless, self-service travel experience that balances safety with convenience.

Arnika Dixit, Group Head—Cards, Payments and Wealth Management at Axis Bank, said the bank's Safe Banking approach is focused on giving customers greater control and confidence while balancing security with convenience.

"As digital payments continue to evolve, customers increasingly expect banking experiences that are secure, seamless and tailored to their needs. Our industry-first UPI Limit Management feature enables customers to set and manage transaction limits across different UPI payment categories, while International Travel Declaration helps deliver a smoother international payments experience by incorporating customer travel intent into the Bank's risk assessment process. Together, these capabilities give customers greater control over how they transact, while reinforcing safety and convenience across their payment journeys. These innovations reflect our continued focus on delivering customer-centric solutions that make banking intuitive, secure and relevant in an increasingly digital world," said Dixit.

What customers should know

The UPI feature is not yet available to everyone. Axis Bank said it is currently being rolled out to a limited set of customers, with wider availability planned.

Setting a UPI limit is an additional safeguard, not a guarantee against fraud. Customers should continue to use standard precautions, including checking payment details before authorising transactions and protecting authentication credentials.

International Travel Declaration does not mean overseas transactions will automatically be approved. The bank will continue to apply its fraud and risk-management controls.