WhatsApp Pay is now available to all users in India. Although the pay feature was available to a limited set of users, due to a restriction by NPCI. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) removed the unified payments interface (UPI) user onboarding limit for WhatsApp’s Payment feature with immediate effect.
Prior to the restrictions imposed by (NPCI). However, with these limitations now lifted, WhatsApp Pay is available for seamless use across the country.
WhatsApp is owned by Meta but the platform supports a payment feature within the main app, which allows people to send money digitally without using any other payment app.
Much like other UPI-enabled apps such as Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm, WhatsApp Pay lets users request or transfer money to contacts, providing a seamless payment experience.
According to some reports, the Meta-owned platform has over 500 million users in India. Therefore the NPCI move showcases a major shift in regulatory policy.
WhatsApp Pay has been limited to a maximum of 100 million users for the past two years. This restriction was put in place by the NPCI to guarantee the security and seamless operation of the service.
However, it can now provide UPI services to all Indian users thanks to the recent improvement. “We are pleased to announce that WhatsApp Pay can now offer UPI services to all its users in India,” the NPCI stated in a press release.
Additionally, the NPCI has deferred a proposed rule to cap any single app’s UPI transaction share at 30 per cent until December 31, 2026.
“WhatsApp Pay shall continue to comply with all existing UPI guidelines and circulars applicable to existing third-party app providers (TPAPs),” said the corporation.
WhatsApp Pay Usage Steps
- Open WhatsApp
- Click on the three dots in the upper-right corner
- Select Your Payments
- Click on Add Payment Method
- Now, tap on the Accept button to agree to the payment terms and start using for your account.
- Open a chat window of your friend
- Tap on the Rs symbol in the bottom-right corner
- Enter the amount you want to send
- Use your UPI PIN to confirm the transaction
- The payment will be confirmed via an SMS from your registered bank
