Bhim App

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B.H.I.M. App: An Introduction

Post demonetization though mobile wallets and phone apps such as UPI have witnessed a surge in downloads and use, the availability of an integrated platform for receiving and sending money was still an issue. This was because each bank in the UPI network was offering its own UPI app, while in case of mobile wallets you still cannot transfer money between different mobile providers. The introduction of the B.H.I.M. (Bharat Interface for Money) app is expected to sort the issue of interoperability. Announcement of the BHIM android app was made in the run up to the New Year. In the following sections, we will discuss the key features of the BHIM app, along with its benefits.

The name — BHIM —pays homage to Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar, better known as Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. He is called the father of the Indian Constitution and was a leader in the movement towards equality of various strata of Indian society. The concept of BHIM android app is simple – ensure the availability of money transfer option for each and every individual through readily available mobile technology. To facilitate this, the BHIM app features the use of the user addresses same as UPI, which is expected to provide a uniform payment platform for sending and receiving money from one bank account to another via phone.

Section 1
Transaction Speed and Charges
Supported Mobile Platforms
Security Features

Section 1

Many experts have called the BHIM app, the BHIM UPI app and it is essentially true as the app is based on the UPI or Unified Payments Interface developed by the NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India). Being based on the same technology as the earlier UPI, the new BHIM mobile app can even be used by novices to send money to their near and dear ones in seconds. Even better, unlike earlier apps, you no longer need to provide beneficiary or your own bank details again and again as the app maintains a readily-accessible confidential record of all previous beneficiaries as well as the details of the sender’s account.

Transaction Speed and Charges

As the BHIM money transfer app is based on the UPI system, it is ideal for sending money instantly to any account within India. In that way, the BHIM app scores over the traditional NEFT money transfer system. There is currently no charge for sending money using the BHIM app to transfer money, however, the sender might incur IMPS/UPI charges levied by the bank in some cases.

Supported Mobile Platforms

Currently, the BHIM android app is the only one that is available. It is suitable for Google Android smartphones only. However, according to recent press release by the NPCI, the BHIM iOS app will also be released soon. The BHIM android app is available for free download from the Google Play Store, while the BHIM iOS App will be available from the Apple iTunes Store. NPCI is expected to provide BHIM app support for other mobile platforms in the recent future.

Security Features

The current version of the BHIM app is based on the UPI app. As a result, it features the same encryption based and password protection security that the existing UPI applications feature. However, according to available data, the BHIM android app will feature the additional benefit of biometric authentication, which currently does not exist in any other mobile-based money transfer apps available in India. At present though, the security available is 2-factor authentication along with 128-bit encryption – the standard banking app fare in other words.

How to Use BHIM to Send Money
How to Use BHIM app to Pay at a Store
FAQs of the BHIM App

How to Use BHIM to Send Money

  • Download the BHIM android app from the Google Play Store and install it.
  • Create your unique UPI id if you don’t have one already
  • Tap on the send money option
  • Select Beneficiary’s mobile number or UPI address or Aadhar Number
  • Enter the amount that you want to send
  • Use default bank account mapped to BHIM App or use a different registered account
  • Use your preset UPI PIN to complete the transaction and send money in seconds.

Alternately, you can also use the QR Code provided by the beneficiary to make the payment using the “Scan & Pay” option.

How to Use BHIM app to Pay at a Store

As discussed earlier, the BHIM app has QR code support similar to many mobile wallets available in the country. Any BHIM app user can generate a unique QR code on their phone to receive payment. Two types of QR Code options are currently available QR Code for Specific Transaction and QR Code linked to the specific account.

QR Code for Specific Transaction

The QR Code can be easily generated on the BHIM UPI App to request a specific amount from another BHIM app user. The person expected to make the payment can scan this unique QR Code to see the amount payable and then make the payment easily and directly using the balance from their bank account. The sender does not have to input the amount payable either in this method because the details of the amount payable are encrypted and included in the QR Code itself. It is however mandatory for both the payee and the payer to have the BHIM app for UPI-based payments installed and configured on their phones.

QR Code linked to Specific Account

The BHIM app for UPI-based payments is intended to ease the availability of cashless transactions and the inclusion of QR Code payment method with the UPI-based system of money transfer is intended to facilitate that. A shopkeeper or any user of the BHIM Android or iOS app can generate his/her own unique QR code to receive payment to their account which is linked with the app. Other BHIM app for digital payments users can easily scan this unique code, enter the amount payable and transfer the money instantly to the beneficiary’s account from their own.

FAQs of the BHIM App

Q- What is the full of BHIM App for Digital Payments?

Ans – The full form of B.H.I.M. is Bharat Interface for Money. It draws inspiration from the given name of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar, the father of the Indian constitution, who was also a leader who fought tirelessly to ensure the equality of people from every walk of life.

Q – How can I use BHIM app to send money?

Ans – The BHIM UPI app is built on the Universal Payments Interface technology, hence you can send money from one bank account to another with ease. The two options that are currently available include using the unique UPI address of the account holder and paying/sending by scanning a QR code generated by the beneficiary. Alternately, the app also supports using a mobile number or a MMID to get the money transferred to the beneficiary account.

Q- I have a windows phone. How do I use BHIM android app?

Ans – Unfortunately, you cannot install or use the BHIM android app on your windows smartphone. However, you don’t need to worry as the NPCI is expected to launch the BHIM Windows App and BHIM iOS app shortly for the benefit of non-Android smartphone users. When available, these apps can be downloaded from the respective app stores.

Q- Is there a BHIM iOS App that I can download?

Ans. – NPCI, the organisation that created the BHIM app, is yet to launch the BHIM iOS App, but when available, it can be downloaded for free from the Apple iTunes store.

Q- Are there any transaction limits for using the BHIM app for Digital Payments?

Ans – Yes. At the time of launch, it has been mentioned by the NPCI that the transaction limit for any single transaction using the app is Rs. 10,000, while the cap on the total amount that can be transacted by a single user in a 24 hour period is Rs. 20,000.

Q- Which bank accounts can I use with the BHIM app?

Ans – All banks in India that support the UPI platform of digital payments will support the transfer and receipt of money using the BHIM UPI app. Some of the leading banks which are supported in the BHIM app for digital payments include State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, IDBI Bank, ICICI Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, IndusInd Bank and many others.

Q- How fast can I transfer money using BHIM?

Ans – The BHIM UPI app for money transfer uses the UPI technology, which is designed to support instant money transfers. Thus, when done correctly, you can expect the money to be transferred from your account to the beneficiary’s mapped bank account instantly.

Q- Is there a separate BHIM e-wallet app for my phone?

Ans – No. When the BHIM news first broke, some media outlets have been talking about a BHIM e-wallet app, but this is a misnomer. A wallet by definition is somewhere that you store money that you can spend at a later date. In case of BHIM, the money moves from account to account and at no point is the money stored in a “wallet”. So do not get duped into downloading a separate BHIM e-wallet app.

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