3 Oct 2025 : In today’s digital age, UPI has become the most popular and fastest medium for investments and payments. Whether it is mutual funds or stock market investments, transferring money now takes just a few seconds. However, along with digital transactions, cases of online fraud are also increasing rapidly. To reduce these risks and provide more security to investors, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has launched a new and unique system.
What is the new ‘Valid UPI Handle’ system?
SEBI has recently introduced the ‘@valid’ UPI handle, which will help investors ensure that their money is going only to SEBI-registered and authorized financial institutions.
Under this new framework, every registered broker, mutual fund company, or other financial institution will be given a special UPI ID. This UPI ID will have two key features: first, it will contain the term ‘@valid’ to indicate authenticity, and second, it will include a tag showing the category of the institution—for example, ‘brk’ for brokers and ‘mf’ for mutual funds. For instance, a broker’s UPI ID may look like this, while a mutual fund company’s ID will have its own format. This will allow investors to instantly recognize that they are sending money to the right, registered institution.
How will payments become safer and easier?
When using this new system, if you make a payment to a UPI handle with ‘@valid’, your payment screen will display a special green triangle and a thumbs-up icon. This visual confirmation shows that you are sending money to a SEBI-recognized institution.
Additionally, every registered institution will be provided with a unique QR code that includes a thumbs-up symbol in the center. Scanning this code will make payments simple and error-free, ensuring a more secure and reliable fund transfer experience.
SEBI Check: A trusted verification service for investors
SEBI has also launched a new service called SEBI Check, which allows any investor to verify whether the institution they are sending money to is registered or not. This tool validates bank account details, UPI ID authenticity, as well as other transfer methods like RTGS, NEFT, and IMPS.
You can use this service through SEBI’s official website or the Saarthi mobile app, ensuring investors a safe, reliable, and fraud-free experience.
Summary:
SEBI has launched a new UPI handle system to enhance security and efficiency, offering users smoother, safer, and more reliable digital payment transaction experiences across platforms.