IMPS

What is IMPS?

IMPS is an interbank electronic fund transfer system that was introduced in 2010 by the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The full form of IMPS is Immediate Payment Service.

Since its introduction, IMPS has consistently been one of the most reliable methods of transferring funds from one bank account to another. One of the many advantages of IMPS is that the funds transferred via this facility are instantly credited to the recipient’s bank account. 

What are the Features and Benefits of IMPS?

The Immediate Payment Service comes with several features and benefits that make it one of the most popular ways to transfer funds. Here’s a detailed overview of some of its most important features and advantages. 

• Instant Fund Transfer

As the full form of IMPS suggests, fund transfers made through the Immediate Payment Service are effected immediately. Since IMPS transactions are processed on an individual basis and not batch-wise, the beneficiary account will receive the funds as soon as the transfer is complete. Also, you can initiate an IMPS fund transfer using your bank’s net banking portal, mobile banking facility, ATM, or even through SMS.  

• Available 24x7 

One of the major benefits of IMPS is that it is available 24x7. You can use the facility to transfer funds even on Sundays and bank holidays. No matter where you are or what the time is, the service can be used to transfer funds to the intended account.  

• Instant Notifications

As soon as an IMPS fund transfer is completed, both you and the beneficiary will instantly receive a notification from your respective banks in the form of an SMS. Thanks to this feature, you don’t have to worry about whether or not the fund transfer was successful. 

• Versatile

IMPS fund transfers are very versatile. You can effect a fund transfer in one of two ways - using the bank account details and IFSC of the beneficiary or the 7-digit Mobile Money Identifier (MMID) of the beneficiary. 

• Safe and Secure

All IMPS fund transfer requests pass through encrypted servers, making it impossible for a third party to hack or syphon important details of the transaction. Also, all banks use a two-step verification system that requires an OTP, which is sent to your registered mobile number, to place an IMPS fund transfer request. 

• Minimum Information 

With IMPS, you don’t have to fill and submit lengthy or tedious forms to initiate fund transfers. Once a beneficiary is added to your internet banking account, you can quickly transfer funds within just a few minutes. That’s not all. To add a beneficiary, you only need the following three details - the account holder’s name, their bank account number and IFSC. 

• Multiple Applications 

In addition to transferring funds from one bank account to another, the Immediate Payment Service also has other applications. For instance, you can use IMPS to pay utility bills, insurance premiums, make online purchases, and more. 

• Cost Effective 

Banks levy a fee for availing the IMPS fund transfer facility. Fortunately, the fee is very nominal compared to the other electronic fund transfer methods. Some banks even waive the IMPS fee, effectively making it free for their customers.  

Transfer Funds Through IMPS

Now that you know what IMPS is, its features and benefits, and also know the full form of IMPS , let’s take a look at the steps that you need to follow to transfer funds through this service. 

• Step 1: Log into your bank’s internet banking portal using your credentials. 

• Step 2: Navigate to the fund transfer section of the portal. 

• Step 3: Click on the add a beneficiary option. 

• Step 4: Enter the details such as the account holder’s name, bank account number and IFSC in the relevant fields. 

• Step 5: Authenticate the request by entering the OTP sent to your registered mobile number. 

• Step 6: Once the beneficiary is added, click on the IMPS fund transfer option.

• Step 7: Select the beneficiary to whom you wish to transfer funds. 

• Step 8: Enter the amount that you wish to transfer and proceed to place the fund transfer request. 

• Step 9: Authenticate the fund transfer request by entering the OTP sent to your registered mobile number. 

That’s it. Your IMPS fund transfer request will be processed and the beneficiary’s account will be credited instantly. 

It is essential to keep in mind that the process outlined above is generic and may vary slightly depending on the bank with which you have an account. 

What Details are Required for IMPS?

As you’ve already seen, an IMPS fund transfer can be initiated via either of two ways - using IFSC or MMID. 

If you’re initiating an IMPS fund transfer using IFSC, you will need the following details of the beneficiary. 

• The full name of the account holder as per his bank records

• The bank account number 

• The IFSC of the bank branch in which they hold their account 

On the other hand, if you’re initiating an IMPS fund transfer using MMID, you will only require the following two details. 

• The beneficiary’s mobile number 

• The beneficiary’s 7-digit Mobile Money Identifier (MMID) 

What is the IMPS Reference Number?

Once you complete an IMPS transaction by authenticating the payment, the bank provides you with a 12-digit number that is displayed on the screen. This is known as the IMPS reference number. You can find the number on your bank account statement too against the IMPS transaction ID.

Apart from IMPS, you can also use RTGS or NEFT to transfer money from one account to another. Know about the difference between IMPS vs NEFT vs RTGS and select the mode that suits you best.

What are the Important Factors to Remember about IMPS?

Before you choose IMPS as your preferred mode of online money transfer, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. They are as follows:

1) Access to Mobile Banking

For the transfer of funds quickly and efficiently using your phone, IMPS requires you have a mobile banking account. You need to download your bank’s application on your phone and link your account with it to be able to send and receive money.

2) Errors Cannot be Reversed

Once you make a transaction using IMPS, you cannot reverse it. As a result, it is critical that you check and recheck the details entered before submitting the payment request. If you mistakenly transfer the money to the incorrect account and are unable to convince the beneficiary to return your money, your funds will be lost.

3) Steady Internet Connection

You must have a stable internet connection to avail IMPS fund transfer via mobile banking. Slow or interrupted connectivity can cause a lag and you might mistakenly submit fund transfer requests more than once.

IMPS - Uses

Now that you’re aware of the meaning of IMPS, its features, and benefits, let’s take a quick look at what you can use IMPS for. 

• As the full form of IMPS suggests, you can use this service to instantly transfer funds to other bank accounts 

• Bank account holders can receive payments from other individuals using IMPS 

• It can be used to make payments to merchants for the goods or services provided by them 

• It can be used to check the Aadhaar and bank account linking status 

• It can be used to perform financial transactions via mobile banking

IMPS Participating Banks

Almost all Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) and the payments banks in India offer the Immediate Payment Service facility. Here’s the list of the IMPS participating banks in the country.