How to add funds to Zerodha via UPI
Adding funds to a Zerodha trading account via Unified Payments Interface is the fastest self-service deposit method available to resident Indian clients. UPI deposits are credited within minutes during business hours and are available around the clock for initiation. This guide covers the end-to-end flow on both Kite web and the Kite mobile app, the applicable limits, timing expectations, and common failure modes.
Conflict-of-interest disclosure. This guide is published by WebNotes Editorial Team for informational purposes. WebNotes has no commercial relationship with Zerodha or any UPI payment service provider. No affiliate commission is earned from fund deposits.
Prerequisites
Before following this guide, confirm that:
- You hold an active Zerodha trading-and-demat account. If you have not opened one yet, see How to open a Zerodha account.
- The bank account linked as your primary bank with Zerodha is the same bank account registered on your UPI handle. UPI fund additions to Zerodha must originate from the bank account registered with Zerodha. Payments from a different bank account are rejected.
- Your UPI handle (VPA) is active and the UPI PIN is set. If you have not set up a UPI PIN or the PIN has been locked, reset it through your UPI application before proceeding.
- You have sufficient balance in the bank account to cover the deposit amount and any small UPI transaction charges your bank may levy (most banks levy nil for UPI).
Step-by-step procedure
Step 1: Log in to Kite
Open kite.zerodha.com in a browser, or launch the Kite mobile app on Android or iOS. Enter your Zerodha client ID (the six-character alphanumeric ID beginning with the state code, e.g., AB1234) and your account password. Complete the two-factor authentication step using either the Time-based One-Time Password (TOTP) from an authenticator app or the SMS OTP sent to your registered mobile number.
Step 2: Navigate to Add funds
On Kite web. After logging in, click the avatar or account icon at the top-right corner of the screen. A dropdown menu appears. Click Add funds. You are taken to the fund-addition page within the Kite interface.
On the Kite mobile app. Tap the profile icon at the bottom-right of the home screen. Tap Add funds near the top of the profile section. The fund-addition screen opens.
Step 3: Enter the amount
On the fund-addition screen, type the amount you wish to deposit into your trading account. Enter a whole-rupee figure without decimal places (the field does not accept paise). The minimum deposit is Rs 1. For UPI, the practical per-transaction ceiling is Rs 1,00,000 for most bank–handle combinations, though select bank pairs (such as HDFC Bank handles on certain payment service providers) may allow up to Rs 2,00,000. If you need to deposit more than the UPI limit in a single transaction, see the NEFT/RTGS/IMPS guide for higher-value transfers.
Step 4: Select UPI as the payment method
The payment screen displays several methods. Choose UPI. The screen refreshes to show a UPI ID entry field and, on mobile, a QR code option.
Step 5: Enter your UPI ID
Type your complete VPA into the field. Common VPA formats include:
| Format | Example handle |
|---|---|
| yourname@oksbi | Linked to SBI via Google Pay |
| yourname@ybl | Linked to Axis/HDFC/others via PhonePe |
| yourname@paytm | Linked to Paytm Payments Bank or associated banks |
| yourname@okhdfcbank | Linked to HDFC Bank via Google Pay |
| mobilenum@upi | Some bank-own BHIM handles |
Alternatively, on the Kite mobile app, tap Scan QR and scan the QR displayed on the Kite screen using your UPI app’s camera. This eliminates the need to type the VPA and is faster on mobile.
Once you enter the VPA, tap or click Add funds / Proceed. Zerodha’s payment processor sends a collect request to your UPI handle.
Step 6: Approve the collect request on your UPI app
Open your UPI application. Navigate to the pending-requests section:
| UPI app | Where to find pending requests |
|---|---|
| Google Pay | Requests tab on the home screen |
| PhonePe | Notifications → Pending requests |
| Paytm | UPI & Payments → Pending UPI requests |
| BHIM | Collect requests on the home screen |
| Bank-own apps | UPI → Collect requests or Pending requests |
Tap the pending collect request from Zerodha. Verify:
- The payee name shows Zerodha Broking Limited or its payment processor (e.g., Razorpay, PayU).
- The amount matches what you entered.
- The VPA receiving the funds is Zerodha’s merchant VPA.
Tap Approve or Pay. Enter your UPI PIN on the NPCI-rendered secure screen. Do not share your UPI PIN with anyone; Zerodha support will never ask for it.
Step 7: Verify the credit in Kite
After a successful UPI debit, return to Kite. The Available margin figure displayed at the top of the screen (Kite web) or in the funds section (mobile app) updates within 5–15 minutes on business days. On weekends and public holidays, the credit still appears in the margin balance promptly but the funds are available for trading the next market day.
For an audit trail, log in to Zerodha Console at console.zerodha.com, navigate to Reports > Ledger, and confirm an entry labelled Fund transfer in, UPI for the amount and date.
Limits and timing
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum | Rs 1 per transaction |
| Standard UPI ceiling | Rs 1,00,000 per transaction |
| Elevated limit (select banks) | Rs 2,00,000 per transaction |
| Daily UPI limit | Set by your bank; typically Rs 1,00,000–Rs 5,00,000 |
| Credit to margin | 5–15 minutes during market hours; up to 60 minutes at off-peak times |
| Availability for trading | Immediately upon credit for intraday; T+0 for equity delivery |
| Weekend / holiday crediting | Credited to account balance; usable on next trading day |
NPCI governs the per-transaction ceiling for UPI transfers. The Reserve Bank of India sets the framework within which NPCI operates. Individual banks may impose lower daily limits.
What can go wrong
Collect request not received within 5 minutes. Pull to refresh the pending-requests section in your UPI app. If the request does not appear after 10 minutes, the transaction has likely timed out on Zerodha’s side. Retry from Step 2. Verify that the VPA you entered is active by initiating a Rs 1 test payment to a known VPA in your UPI app.
UPI PIN declined. An incorrect UPI PIN increments your bank’s failed-attempt counter. After three consecutive incorrect PINs, the handle is typically locked for 24 hours. If locked, use the Forgot UPI PIN flow in your UPI app. Meanwhile, deposit via net banking or NEFT/RTGS/IMPS.
Payment from an unlinked bank account. Zerodha rejects fund additions from bank accounts not registered with your trading account. If your UPI handle is linked to a different bank than your Zerodha-registered bank, the transaction fails. To add a secondary bank, see How to add a secondary bank account on Zerodha.
Amount deducted but not credited. This is a rare edge case in which the bank debits the amount but the UPI acknowledgement does not reach Zerodha’s payment processor. The deducted amount is automatically refunded to the bank account by the NPCI dispute-resolution mechanism within 3–5 business days. Raise a support ticket at support.zerodha.com with the bank’s transaction reference number (UTR) if the amount does not appear in your Zerodha account within 60 minutes and is not refunded within 3 business days.
UPI service unavailable (NPCI downtime). NPCI periodically schedules maintenance windows, typically between 1:00 AM and 5:00 AM IST. During these windows, UPI transactions fail. Use the NEFT/RTGS/IMPS channel or initiate the deposit outside the maintenance window.
Related guides
- How to add funds to Zerodha via net banking
- How to add funds to Zerodha via NEFT, RTGS, or IMPS
- How to withdraw funds from Zerodha
- How to add a secondary bank account on Zerodha
- How to read your funds statement on Console
References
- NPCI, “Unified Payments Interface (UPI) procedural guidelines,” latest edition, npci.org.in.
- Reserve Bank of India, “Harmonisation of Turn Around Time (TAT) and customer compensation for failed transactions using authorised Payment Systems,” RBI Circular RBI/2019-20/142, September 2019.
- Zerodha Support, “How to add funds to your Zerodha account,” support.zerodha.com.
- Zerodha Z-Connect Blog, “Updating your UPI and bank details on Kite,” zerodha.com/z-connect.
- NPCI, “UPI per-transaction limit circular,” 2024 revision.