WhatsApp is reportedly engaged on a brand new characteristic for customers in India. This characteristic is anticipated to permit customers to make invoice funds through the messaging platform. In November 2020, WhatsApp launched the choice to ship and obtain cash utilizing the Unified Cost Interface (UPI) to pick out customers within the nation. Just lately, the Nationwide Funds Company of India (NPCI) eliminated the UPI onboarding restrict for the Meta-owned platform, permitting it to increase its fee providers to all customers in India.
WhatsApp Customers Might Quickly be In a position to Make Direct Invoice Funds
WhatsApp is engaged on a brand new characteristic that permits customers in India to make invoice funds, which was found throughout an APK teardown by Android Authority. The characteristic was noticed in improvement n the WhatsApp beta for Android model 2.25.3.15. This means that the Meta-owned app is trying ahead to increasing its monetary providers within the nation.
The report signifies that the brand new characteristic will probably allow customers to make direct invoice funds via the WhatsApp app. The supported classes for invoice funds might embrace electrical energy payments, cellular pay as you go recharges, LPG fuel funds, water payments, landline postpaid payments, and hire funds, the report provides.
The invoice fee choice is at present in improvement, however an empty exercise for it has already been added to the aforementioned beta model of WhatsApp, in response to the report. A launch timeline just isn’t but identified, however it’s anticipated to be obtainable to beta testers in India earlier than it rolls out on the steady replace channel.
The publication means that the platform might face some regulatory or logistical challenges earlier than launching the service in India. WhatsApp at present permits customers to make UPI funds to contacts and companies.
The report additionally notes that this new characteristic was noticed after NPCI lifted the consumer onboarding cap for WhatsApp Pay, and now it may compete straight with devoted fee platforms like PhonePe and Google Pay. Final yr, the Meta-owned messaging app was noticed testing an choice to permit customers to make worldwide funds from the app.
