WhatsApp is reportedly working on enabling international payments through its in-app Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services. WhatsApp Pay, introduced in India in November 2020, is now looking to expand its financial services by offering international payments with a limit of up to three months. This move is aimed at increasing its user base.
According to a leaked report, a popular tipster on X (formerly Twitter) shared information about this feature. The tipster shared a screenshot of a new option under the International Payments menu. When clicked, it opens a separate screen where users can select the start and end dates for the feature and turn it on. Users will need to enter their UPI PIN to activate the feature.
However, this feature will only work in countries where banks and governments have launched international UPI services. In India, international payments through UPI expire automatically, after which they must be manually reactivated. WhatsApp’s period for reactivation is said to be three months, which is shorter than Google Pay’s seven-day transaction period. Other major players in the UPI space, such as Google Pay and Phone Pay, already offer international payment services.
WhatsApp has also announced that it will soon release more new features. One of these features is the ability for users to pin up to three chats instead of just one. Additionally, the photo editor feature is set to be powered by a generative AI tool, allowing users to edit their photos with ease.