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# How will Sebi's validated UPI handles make digital payments safer for investors?
- URL: https://www.clinkwealth.com/how-will-sebis-validated-upi-handles-make-digital-payments-safer-for-investors/
- Published: 2026-11-02T08:38:02.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-02T08:38:02.000Z
- Description: Sebi's validated UPI handles (@valid) offer investors an additional, more secure payment option. They complement existing payment methods, allowing investors to continue using whichever mode of payment they prefer.
- Author: Vimal Chander Joshi

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has introduced exclusive @valid UPI handles, with category-specific suffixes, to make digital payments to registered market intermediaries safer and easier to authenticate.

Under the new system, UPI IDs belonging to Sebi-registered investor-facing intermediaries will carry the exclusive @valid handle. This will help retail investors distinguish genuine payment IDs from fraudulent ones and reduce the risk of transferring money to unauthorised entities.

Importantly, the validated UPI facility is an additional payment option and does not replace existing payment methods. Investors can continue using their preferred modes of payment.

Nevertheless, Sebi has encouraged individual investors to use the exclusive @valid handles when making digital payments to registered intermediaries.

Here are three key features of the new system:

**1\. Two distinctive features in the UPI ID**

The new UPI handles will have two identifying elements. First, they will carry the word 'valid'. Second, they will include a category-specific abbreviation to identify the type of intermediary. For instance, 'brk' will denote stockbrokers, while 'mf' will identify mutual funds.

Examples of such UPI IDs include abc.brk@validhdfc and xyz.mf@validicici.

**2\. Visual verification through a green thumbs-up icon**

A distinctive thumbs-up symbol inside a green triangle will appear when investors make payments using validated UPI handles. This visual indicator is intended to help users identify authentic payment requests and verify that they are transacting with a legitimate intermediary.

**3\. Specially designed QR codes**

Sebi has also introduced specially designed QR codes featuring the thumbs-up symbol at the centre. Investors can scan these codes to make payments conveniently while reducing the possibility of errors associated with manually entering UPI IDs.

The distinctive QR code is another way to identify payment requests associated with Sebi-registered intermediaries.

**What is Sebi Check, and how can investors use it?**

In addition to validated UPI handles, Sebi has introduced a facility called 'Sebi Check' to help investors verify the authenticity of a payee's bank account details and UPI ID.

Investors can access this facility through Sebi's designated online portal or its Saarthi mobile app.

Importantly, Sebi Check is not restricted to payments made through validated UPI handles. It can also be used to verify bank account details when transferring money through other payment channels, including RTGS, NEFT and IMPS.

The market regulator has advised individual investors to use Sebi Check to verify the recipient's bank account details before transferring money to any Sebi-registered intermediary.