Several banks, including HDFC Bank, Punjab National Bank, and Bandhan Bank, have revised their ATM usage rules ahead of the new financial year starting April 1, 2026. The changes mainly affect how free transactions are counted and daily cash withdrawal limits.
HDFC Bank Counts UPI ATM Withdrawals As Regular Transactions
HDFC Bank has introduced a key change in ATM usage calculation. From April 1, UPI-based cardless cash withdrawals will be treated the same as regular ATM withdrawals while calculating the monthly free transaction limit.
Once customers cross the free limit, they will be charged Rs 23 per transaction, plus applicable taxes. At present, savings and salary account holders get five free withdrawals at HDFC Bank ATMs, three free transactions at other bank ATMs in metro cities, and five in non-metro cities.
These cardless withdrawals are done through interoperable systems where users scan a QR code at the ATM and approve the transaction via a UPI app.
PNB Cuts Daily Withdrawal Limits
Punjab National Bank has reduced daily withdrawal limits for select debit cards, with the new limits coming into effect from April 1.
Platinum, Gold, and Business debit cards: Reduced from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 50,000
Select and Signature debit cards: Reduced from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 75,000
This effectively halves the withdrawal limit for several card categories.
Bandhan Bank Updates Free Transaction Rules
Bandhan Bank has also revised its ATM policy. Customers can continue to avail free financial transactions at Bandhan Bank ATMs, along with unlimited non-financial transactions.
At other bank ATMs, customers will get three free transactions per month in metro cities and five in non-metro cities, including cities like Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. Beyond this limit, charges will apply as per the bank’s rules.
Overall, the revised guidelines are expected to impact how frequently customers use ATMs, especially with tighter limits and changes in how transactions are counted.
