WhatsApp will roll out its payment services in India following approval from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) after about over two years of waiting.
However, not all users in India will be able to access this feature. This is because NPCI has mandated the expansion of WhatsApp’s UPI user base “in a graded manner starting with a maximum registered user base of twenty million”.
In addition, the NPCI approval follows another recent direction, imposing a cap of 30% of the total volume of transactions processed in UPI, applicable to all third-party app providers, effective January 1, 2021.
HOW TO PAY? | WHATSAPP WILL ROLL OUT ITS PAYMENT SERVICES
“Starting on the 6th of November, people across India will be able to send money through WhatsApp. This secure payment experience makes transferring money just as easy as sending a message,” WhatsApp said in a blog post.
It’s necessary to have a bank account and debit card in India. WhatsApp sends instructions to banks, also known as payment service providers. They will initiate the transfer of money via UPI between the sender and receiver bank accounts.
“We’re delighted to be working with five leading banks in India: ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, the State Bank of India, and Jio Payments Bank. People can send money on WhatsApp to anyone using a UPI supported app,” it said, adding for additional security, a personal UPI PIN will be required for each payment.
Payment on WhatsApp was now available for people with the latest version of the iPhone and Android app, it said.
ZUCKERBERG’S TAKE | WHATSAPP WILL ROLL OUT ITS PAYMENT SERVICES
WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, had started testing its UPI-based payments system in 2018. It will now compete with e-wallets like Paytm, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, and PhonePe.
Mark Zuckerberg said that when people can access financial tools, they are more empowered to support themselves and others.
Further, he said that in the long term, there is a need for more innovation that gives people control over their money, and making payments easier is a small step that can really help.
Read the full WhatsApp blog here.
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