What is AEPS?

Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS) is a system developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) that allows people to carry out financial transactions on a Micro-ATM by furnishing just their Aadhaar number and verifying it with the help of their fingerprint/iris scan.

People do not have to mention their bank account details to carry out these transactions. With the help of this payment system, people can send funds from one bank account to another simply through their Aadhaar numbers. As the system works on a centralised server, people can send money from their account to any account irrespective of the bank in which the receiver’s account is operated.

This system will add another layer of security to financial transactions as bank details would no longer be required to be furnished while carrying out these transactions and fingerprints of the account holder will be required for authorising the transaction.

Benefits of AEPS

There are a number of benefits of AEPS. Some of those are mentioned below:

  • Banking, as well as non-banking transactions, can be performed through a banking correspondent.
  • Banking correspondents of one bank can perform transactions of other banks as well.
  • People do not have to furnish their debit/credit card for making transactions through AEPS.
  • The fingerprint is needed for transaction authentication which makes it safer.
  • Micro PoS machines can be taken to distant places enabling people in remote villages to make transactions instantly.

What Facilities can be availed through AEPS?

People can avail a total of 6 facilities through AEPS. These are:

  • Cash Withdrawal
  • Cash Deposit
  • Balance Enquiry
  • Aadhaar to Aadhaar Fund Transfer
  • Mini Statement
  • eKYC – Best Finger Detection/IRIS Detection

How to use AEPS?

The process of using AEPS is quite easy. You have to follow these simple steps:

  • Visit a banking correspondent in your area. (It doesn’t matter if he is an executive of the bank you don’t have an account in, you can make transactions through AePS).
  • Enter your 12-digit Aadhaar number in the PoS Machine.
  • Select the transaction type – cash deposit, withdrawal, mini statement, fund transfer, balance enquiry or eKYC.
  • Select the bank name.
  • Enter the amount for the transaction.
  • Authenticate the transaction using your biometric (fingerprint or iris scan).
  • The transaction gets completed in seconds.
  • A receipt will be given to you by the banking correspondent.

Important Points to Remember while using AEPS

You should remember these points before you use the new payment method:

  • Your bank account should be linked with Aadhaar if you want to avail this service.
  • If you have more than one account in one bank, only the primary account will be used under AePS.
  • No OTP or PIN is required for making transactions through AePS.
  • AEPS supports transactions between Aadhaar linked bank accounts only.
  • Multiple bank accounts can be linked with Aadhaar to avail AePS facility. However, only one account per bank can be used for availing this facility.
  • The cutover of transactions done through AePS takes place at 11 pm every day. Transactions done before this time for the day are included in this settlement.


AEPS Fund Transfer Limit

RBI has set no limit for transactions made through AePS. However, various banks have capped the transactions made through AePS to mitigate the misuse of the payment system, if any. Some banks have set a daily limit of a maximum of Rs 50,000 on total transactions.

Why did the Government launch AEPS?

The government has set a target of bringing all citizens in the banking framework. However, it is not feasible to open bank branches in all remote villages. Thus the government has come up with AePS where people from far-off places will easily be able to send/receive money and avail other financial and non-financial banking facilities with the help of Micro ATMs and banking correspondents.

Transactions done through this channel need biometric authentication through best finger/iris detection. Signatures can be forged but fingerprints/iris can’t. This has made transactions safer.  People won’t have to carry their bank’s passbook or debit card for fund transfer as only Aadhaar number and your fingerprints would be required for carrying out the transactions making it easy for all to use this service.