NPCI BHIM Services set to provide Canara Bank with UPI payments tech

Bank will integrate NBSL's bank plugins to host latest UPI features and upgrades on its app, aiming to improve security and scalability while lowering the cost of maintaining an independent interface

Canara Bank will use NPCI BHIM Services’ (NBSL) bank plugins to offer Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services on its banking payments app, Canara ai1Pe.

 

This comes at a time when the bank has partnered with NBSL for integrating the latest UPI payments launches within the banking app.

 

The partnership will allow the bank to host the latest feature upgrades and UPI functionalities adopted by the Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) app.

 

“The integration supports improved security, operational resilience and scalability, while helping the bank reduce the cost and resources involved in developing, maintaining and regularly upgrading an independent UPI interface,” NBSL said in a statement.

 

 

Canara is the first bank to adopt the approach from NBSL.

 

NBSL said it is in discussions with more banks to expand their payments capabilities.

 

“This collaboration reflects a shared effort to strengthen the delivery of UPI services through reliable and scalable technology. It aims to ensure customers have consistent access to UPI functionalities while supporting the bank’s operational and compliance requirements as the UPI ecosystem continues to evolve,” said Lalitha Nataraj, managing director and chief executive officer, NBSL.

 

In 2025, BHIM presented a proof of concept for BHIM Vishwas, allowing it to provide banks with its technology stack.

 

The idea is that payments and related capabilities can be white-labelled for the bank based on its own technology stack, while banks can focus on their core banking features.

 

NBSL was spun off as NPCI’s wholly owned subsidiary in 2024. Developed by NPCI, BHIM was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016.