As part of enhancing the robustness of Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS), it was announced in the Statement on Developmental and Regulatory Policies dated February 08, 2024, that the onboarding process of AePS Touchpoint Operators will be streamlined. In recent times, there have been instances of frauds perpetuated through AePS due to identity theft or compromise of customer credentials. To protect bank customers from such frauds, and to maintain trust and confidence in the safety and security of the system, it has been considered necessary to enhance the robustness of AePS. Accordingly, the Reserve Bank of India today released the draft directions on Due Diligence of AePS Touchpoint Operators.

Comments / feedback on the draft directions may be sent by email or by post to the Chief General Manager-in-Charge, Department of Payment and Settlement Systems, Reserve Bank of India, Central Office, 14th Floor, Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg, Mumbai-400001, on or before August 31, 2024.

(Puneet Pancholy) 

Chief General Manager

Aadhaar Enabled Payment System touchpoint operators must undergo enhanced due diligence, KYC updates, single-bank onboarding, and risk-based monitoring. Acquiring banks must perform Due Diligence on AePS touchpoint operators per the prescribed Customer Due Diligence procedures, update KYC after six months of dormancy before re-enablement, and ensure each operator is onboarded by only one acquiring bank. Banks must apply risk-based ongoing monitoring, set transaction limits by risk profile, and ensure transactions align with location and risk; all participants must adhere to system-provider rules and implement these measures within the compliance timeframe.