In a move aimed at strengthening its digital payments stack, Canara Bank is set to integrate UPI technology from NPCI BHIM Services to enhance its in-house payments application.
The public sector lender will use NPCI BHIM Services Limited (NBSL) bank plugins to power Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services on its banking app, Canara ai1Pe. The partnership will allow the bank to roll out the latest UPI features and upgrades more efficiently within its existing app framework.
This collaboration comes as Canara Bank works with NBSL to integrate new UPI payment launches directly into the banking app. Through this setup, the bank will be able to host updated UPI functionalities that are also 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 Bank is the first bank to adopt this plugin-based approach offered by NBSL. The model is designed to help banks modernise their UPI services without managing a separate technology interface.
NBSL said it is currently in talks with other banks to expand similar payment capabilities across the sector.
“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 of NBSL.
In 2025, BHIM had presented a proof of concept for BHIM Vishwas, a framework that allows banks to use BHIM’s technology stack. Under this approach, UPI payments and related services can be white-labelled for banks, enabling them to focus more on core banking functions.
NBSL was carved out as a wholly owned subsidiary of NPCI in 2024. The BHIM app, developed by NPCI, was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016.
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