UPI Basics
What is VPA?
Virtual Payment Address · वर्चुअल पेमेंट एड्रेस (UPI आईडी)
Your UPI ID — an email-style address like name@okaxis that routes payments to your bank account.
A VPA replaces sensitive banking details with a shareable identifier. It always carries an @handle suffix tied to the Payment Service Provider that issued it — @okaxis for Axis, @ybl for Yes Bank (PhonePe's handle), @paytm, @apl, and so on.
One bank account can have multiple VPAs, and a single VPA can be set as default across apps. Payments sent to your VPA land directly in the linked account; nothing is stored with a middleman.
Because VPAs are public-facing, treat them like an email address: safe to print on posters and invoices, but remember that knowing your VPA alone lets someone send you a collect request — never approve requests you did not initiate.
VPA: quick answers
Can I change my VPA later?
Yes — most apps let you create new VPAs and delete old ones anytime without affecting incoming payments already printed elsewhere, as long as at least one active VPA remains.
Do both parties need the same bank?
No. UPI is fully interoperable — an @ybl user can pay an @okhdfcbank user instantly.
Use it right now