WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new feature for users in India. This feature is expected to allow users to make bill payments via the messaging platform. In November 2020, WhatsApp introduced the option to send and receive money using the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) to select users in the country. Recently, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) removed the UPI onboarding limit for the Meta-owned platform, allowing it to extend its payment services to all users in India.
WhatsApp Users May Soon be Able to Make Direct Bill Payments
WhatsApp is working on a new feature that allows users in India to make bill payments, which was discovered during an APK teardown by Android Authority. The feature was spotted in development n the WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.25.3.15. This suggests that the Meta-owned app is looking forward to expanding its financial services in the country.
The report indicates that the new feature will likely enable users to make direct bill payments through the WhatsApp app. The supported categories for bill payments may include electricity bills, mobile prepaid recharges, LPG gas payments, water bills, landline postpaid bills, and rent payments, the report adds.
The bill payment option is currently in development, but an empty activity for it has already been added to the aforementioned beta version of WhatsApp, according to the report. A release timeline is not yet known, but it is expected to be available to beta testers in India before it rolls out on the stable update channel.
The publication suggests that the platform may face some regulatory or logistical challenges before launching the service in India. WhatsApp currently allows users to make UPI payments to contacts and businesses.
The report also notes that this new feature was spotted after NPCI lifted the user onboarding cap for WhatsApp Pay, and now it can compete directly with dedicated payment platforms like PhonePe and Google Pay. Last year, the Meta-owned messaging app was spotted testing an option to allow users to make international payments from the app.