WhatsApp To Allow Users To Pay Electricity And Water Bills Easily, Posing Fresh Challenge To Google Pay, PhonePe, And Paytm- Details Here

Whatsapp Bill Payment Feature Android: WhatsApp, the widely used instant messaging platform, is constantly evolving to provide greater convenience to its 3.5 billion users worldwide. The Meta-owned app is reportedly testing a new feature that would enable users in India to make bill payments directly within the app, expanding its financial services beyond UPI-based peer-to-peer transactions.

Fresh Challenge To Google Pay, PhonePe, And Paytm

This move aims to streamline digital payments by eliminating the need to switch between multiple apps, positioning WhatsApp as a comprehensive utility platform. The new feature put WhatsApp in direct competition with platforms like Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm. 

According to leaks, the bill payment feature has been spotted in WhatsApp’s Android Beta version 2.25.3.15. The feature is still in the testing phase. However, a timeline for its rollout remains unclear.

According to media reports, the upcoming feature will allow users to pay a variety of bills, including electricity, water, mobile recharges, rent, and more—offering significant convenience for those who regularly manage household expenses through multiple platforms.

WhatsApp UPI-Based Payment System

This functionality is expected to integrate with WhatsApp's existing UPI-based payment system, WhatsApp Pay. Currently, WhatsApp Pay enables users to send money to contacts and make payments to businesses via UPI. Notably, the platform launched its UPI payment service in India in 2020, initially available to a limited number of users due to regulatory constraints.  

Market Share Of Google Pay, PhonePe

In a major development, WhatsApp Pay recently received approval from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to extend UPI services to all users in India. Earlier, the UPI (Unified Payments Interface) service was limited to 100 million users, but this cap has now been removed. As of November 2024, PhonePe held 47.8% of the market share, while Google Pay had 37%. Other competitors include Paytm, Navi, Cred, and Amazon Pay.