WhatsApp on Thursday launched its Bill Payments feature in India, allowing users to find, manage and pay household and utility bills directly through the messaging platform. The service, powered by the Bharat Connect (BBPS) network, provides access to 22,722 billers across 30 categories, including electricity, gas, water, FASTag, insurance, credit card payments and loan repayments. The feature is being rolled out gradually across the country and will become available to all Android and iOS users over the coming weeks.
Payments within WhatsApp
Users can access the service by tapping the rupee (₹) icon at the top of the WhatsApp home screen. They can then select a bill category and biller, enter and confirm their account details and review the bill amount fetched by the platform. Payments can be completed using UPI, debit cards or credit cards. WhatsApp said the feature will also allow users to view previous payments and upcoming bills. Billers previously paid through the service will appear on the Payments Home screen, providing quicker access for recurring payments.
Users can also manage multiple accounts under the same biller, allowing them to handle bills for their home, office or family connections through a single provider. Frequently used bill categories will automatically appear on the Payments Home screen, while a “See All” option will provide access to the wider range of categories.
Expanding digital payments
Arun Srinivas, Managing Director and Country Head of Meta India, said WhatsApp was already being used by millions of Indians to communicate with businesses, access citizen services and purchase services ranging from metro tickets to insurance. “With Bill payments, we're bringing that same simplicity to one of the most routine tasks in every household,” Srinivas said.
He said the company wanted to eliminate the need for people to switch between multiple applications or separately keep track of payment deadlines. “We want to make paying a bill on WhatsApp as effortless as sending a message, and help bring the convenience of digital payments to people across the remotest parts of the country,” he added. The addition marks a further expansion of WhatsApp's payments ecosystem in India, where the messaging service already allows users to send and receive money through UPI.
By integrating recurring household payments into the platform, WhatsApp is seeking to make its payments section a broader destination for everyday transactions rather than limiting it to person-to-person transfers. The company said bills can be pre-fetched through the new service, enabling users to review the amount and relevant details before completing a transaction.