WhatsApp launches UPI based payments feature in India; Here’s how to send, receive money

WhatsApp has begun the testing of the new payment service that it will be offering on its platform in India. The service will be based on India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

The much-awaited feature lets the users send and receive money directly via WhatsApp. Note that the new feature is not officially rolled out by the company, but is set to be available soon for both Android and iOS users.

The Facebook-owned platform has yet not uploaded any FAQ page regarding the payments, but the terms and conditions page and privacy policy page for the feature is live.

As of now, the payments option is not directly available to all the users. Some of the users who have access to the new feature can help their friends get access too.

If a user with the payments feature will send an invite to their friends, the ones with the invite can relaunch their app to get access to the feature. This feature is available just for the mobile version of the app and not for WhatsApp Web.

Here are small steps which can give the users access to the payments feature.

Users who already have the payments feature have to visit their friend’s profile whom they wish to share the feature with.

Tap the attachment button (paper-clip shaped button) and click on the payment option from the icons.

This tapping will send the other user a prompt that they do not have the payments option and give them a command to go to the settings and change.

Also Read: WhatsApp Business for small companies rolled out in Indian market!

The other user has to go to the settings and select the payments option in it. This will include the payments option in the setting page of the user’s WhatsApp.

Invites to other friends can be sent similarly so that they too can get the new payments feature.

Now, you can continue to send or receive money with your friends.

The payments feature supports UPI services from all major banks like HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, State Bank of India (SBI), Yes Bank, and Airtel Payments Bank.

The feature is a peer-to-peer money sharing one, just like Paytm, Hike, and Truecaller. WhatsApp currently has a 1.5 billion monthly active users base, and this feature is set to have an impact on many of them.