Recently, a leak has surfaced suggesting that WhatsApp may be working on enabling international payments through its in-app Unified Payments Interface (UPI) service. This new feature could potentially bring a significant change to the platform’s financial services, especially for Indian users.
Background
WhatsApp Payments, also known as WhatsApp Pay, was initially launched as an in-app service for Indian users back in November 2020. However, its entry into the payments sector was perceived as delayed compared to its competitors who had already established themselves in the market. With the rumored addition of international payments, WhatsApp aims to attract more users to its platform and expand its financial services.
The leak was shared by a tipster named @AssembleDebug on X (formerly known as Twitter). According to the post, the feature of international payments through UPI for Indian users is currently not available, but WhatsApp might be working on implementing it in the near future. The tipster also provided screenshots of the feature, although the beta version in which it was added remains undisclosed.
In the leaked screenshots, the new option for international payments can be seen in the Payments menu, located below the Forgot UPI PIN option. Users are expected to select start and end dates for the feature and activate it by entering their UPI PIN. This feature will enable users with Indian bank accounts to send money to international merchants and carry out transactions. However, the service will only be available in countries where banks have enabled international UPI services.
WhatsApp’s international payments feature is rumored to have a time limit of up to three months, after which users will need to reactivate it manually. In contrast, Google Pay provides a transaction period of seven days for its users. It is worth noting that existing players like Google Pay and PhonePe in the UPI ecosystem already offer international payment services, giving WhatsApp tough competition in this segment.
If WhatsApp does introduce international payments through its UPI service, it could potentially enhance the platform’s financial offerings and make it more competitive in the payments industry. However, the actual implementation and reception of this new feature among users remain to be seen.
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