WhatsApp is reportedly exploring the introduction of international payments through its in-app Unified Payments Interface (UPI) service, according to recent leaks. Initially launched for Indian users in November 2020, WhatsApp Pay entered the payments market after other competitors had already established their services. The messaging app is now considering adding an international payments feature that may be activated for up to three months, in an effort to enhance its financial service user base.
This information was disclosed by the tipster @AssembleDebug in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “International Payments on WhatsApp through UPI for Indian users. This is currently not available for users. But WhatsApp might be working on it as I couldn’t find anything on Google about it.” The tipster also shared screenshots of the potential new feature but did not specify which beta version included it.
International Payments on WhatsApp through UPI for Indian users.
This is currently not available for users. But WhatsApp might be working on it as I couldn’t find anything on Google about it.
Apps like Phonepe, GPay and some others already support this. #Whatsapp pic.twitter.com/OE2COo89eZ
— AssembleDebug (@AssembleDebug) March 25, 2024
The screenshot revealed a new option within the Payments menu located beneath the Forgot UPI PIN option. This feature, labeled International payments, leads users to a separate screen where they can select the start and end dates for use and enable the feature. To activate it, users will need to input their UPI PIN, as shown in the screenshot.
With international payments, users holding an Indian bank account can transfer funds to select international merchants and complete transactions. This functionality will only be accessible in countries where banks support international UPI services. In India, an international payment via UPI will expire automatically after three months, at which point users must manually re-enable it. The tipster noted that this time limitation on WhatsApp could be three months, contrasting with Google Pay’s seven-day transactional window. Notably, competitors like Google Pay and PhonePe already provide similar international payment options.
