I’m trying to link my SBI account through a financial app that uses Setu, but I keep getting stuck in an OTP loop where I don’t receive the code, or it’s invalid. What’s the problem, and why is there no easy fix?
The issue of being stuck in an OTP loop with an SBI account is one of the most common and frustrating problems in the Account Aggregator (AA) ecosystem. It can feel like a dead end, but the “loop” is rarely a bug with Setu itself. It is a symptom of a deeper, often complex issue related to how SBI’s security protocols interact with the AA framework. The fix isn’t simple because the problem isn’t always with one single party.
The Problem With Your Registered Mobile Number at SBI
I remember a colleague who was trying to link his SBI account to a financial app. He got stuck in a continuous OTP loop. After multiple failed attempts, he called SBI’s customer care. It turned out he had two different mobile numbers linked to his account: one for transactions and another for a specific service he had signed up for years ago. The bank’s system was defaulting to the old number for the aggregator request, which he no longer used. The only way to fix it was for him to go into his SBI Net Banking account and remove the old number completely. The aggregator has no way of knowing which number is active, so the OTP loop continues.
The SBI Secure OTP App Can Block Your SMS OTPs
A friend of mine who works in tech support explained that a major cause for this issue is the “SBI Secure OTP” app. Many users, for added security, install this app which automatically redirects OTPs to the app instead of sending them via SMS. When a user tries to link their account via a third-party aggregator like Setu, they don’t receive the SMS OTP and assume there’s a problem. The bank is sending the OTP, but it’s being sent to the app, not your phone’s messaging service. The solution is to either check the Secure OTP app or, if you no longer use it, go into your SBI Net Banking account and deregister the app to resume receiving SMS OTPs.
A Server-Side Glitch at SBI Causes the OTP to Time Out
I once dealt with this myself. The app would show “OTP Sent” but the code never arrived. After talking to a developer, I learned that while Setu’s request was successfully sent to SBI, the bank’s servers were under a heavy load and couldn’t process the request fast enough. The OTP, which is only valid for a few minutes, would be generated after the time had expired. When I tried again, the same thing would happen. This creates a seemingly endless “loop” where you request an OTP, but it’s already expired by the time the bank’s server gets around to sending it. The only solution is to wait for the bank’s systems to clear up and try again at a later time.