WhatsApp, the popular messaging platform, is reportedly working on enabling international payments through its in-app Unified Payments Interface (UPI) service, according to a recent leak. This new feature leak suggests that WhatsApp Pay may soon allow Indian users to make international transactions, adding a new dimension to its financial services.
WhatsApp Payments, also known as WhatsApp Pay, was initially introduced for Indian users back in November 2020. However, the platform’s entry into the payments sector was considered delayed at the time, as other rival platforms had already established themselves in the market. This new development could potentially help WhatsApp catch up and expand its user base in the financial services sector.
According to the leak shared by tipster @AssembleDebug, the International Payments feature will come with a limit of up to three months for its users. The leak also included screenshots of the feature, which showed a new option in the Payments menu labeled “International payments.” Users would be able to choose the start and end dates for the feature and activate it by entering their UPI PIN.
International payments via UPI would enable users with Indian bank accounts to send money to select international merchants and complete transactions. However, this feature would only work in countries where banks have enabled international UPI services. In India, the international payment feature via UPI expires after a certain period and needs to be manually activated again. The leak suggests that WhatsApp’s international payment feature could have a three-month period, whereas Google Pay offers a seven-day transaction period.
While WhatsApp is rumored to be working on adding international payments, other major players in the UPI space such as Google Pay and PhonePe already offer this service. By introducing this feature, WhatsApp aims to stay competitive in the market and attract more users to its financial services platform.
Overall, the potential addition of international payments to WhatsApp’s repertoire could open up new opportunities for users to engage in cross-border transactions seamlessly. As the platform continues to evolve and expand its financial services, it will be interesting to see how users respond to this new feature and whether it helps WhatsApp further establish itself in the payments sector.
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