WhatsApp is preparing to open its payment platform to the public in India, following a brief closed cabinet testing period, it has been revealed.
The feature allows users to transfer money to family and friends using nothing but their mobile number – provided they have WhatsApp Payments configured on their handset – according to a source familiar with the Facebook-owned firm’s plans.
Screenshots obtained by WABetaInfo reveal that WhatsApp Payments utilises a real-time payment system called Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to process transactions in India, where it’s supported by a slew of the region’s leading banks.
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There’s no word on whether Facebook is planning to launch WhatsApp Payments in the United Kingdom after it debuts in India, but seeing as Messenger features its own payment platform in the realm, it’s safe to say an expansion is on the cards.
We’ve reached out to WhatsApp to see if it can shine a light on how exactly WhatsApp Payments works and if it’s considering bringing it to other countries following its impending launch in India, and will update this piece if we hear back.
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