WhatsApp has over one billion active WhatsApp users, with an estimated 400 million registered users in India. Considering the country is the biggest market for the Facebook-owned messaging service, it’s not surprising to see WhatsApp integrating digital payments into its app.
The latest update to WhatsApp has brought support for the United Payments Interface (UPI), which lets users link their bank accounts securely and make peer-to-peer digital payments to others seamlessly.
In case you didn’t know, UPI is currently one of the most-used payment methods in India due to its interoperability between different platforms. Over 2.07 billion UPI transactions have been initiated through UPI in October. Banking apps like Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, and Amazon Pay already use the system for digital payments.
Given WhatsApp’s massive Indian user base, it has a chance to compete with the likes of the popular banking apps. The company has also officially tied up with Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Jio Payments Bank, and State Bank of India to enable seamless payments. Furthermore, Reliance Jio’s online grocery delivery service, JioMart, is one of the first services to integrate WhatsApp as a payment method.
Anyways, if you are looking for a way to send or receive money using WhatsApp, make sure to follow this detailed guide. It’s a straightforward process and quite similar to how you enable UPI on other banking apps.
Setting up payments on WhatsApp
In order to set up payments on WhatsApp, you will need to link your bank account to the messaging app first. UPI is primarily registered to your mobile number, which works with pretty much every major Indian bank.
If you have never created a UPI account before, you can do it directly from the Payments page in WhatsApp in just a few steps. Here’s how to set up payments on WhatsApp:
- Start with launching WhatsApp from your home screen or app drawer.
- Tap the three vertical dots (action overflow icon) on the upper-right corner and select Payments from the drop-down menu.
- In the Payments menu, tap Add new payment method, followed by Accept and continue on the next page.
- Now select your bank from the list. Your primary UPI account will always be linked to your bank.
- After that, WhatsApp will ask you to verify your mobile number. Assuming your current SIM is registered with your bank account, proceed with Verify via SMS for the authentication.
- Tap Allow if WhatsApp prompts you to grant permissions to read and send text messages.
- Once WhatsApp finds the bank account registered with your mobile number, tap it and hit Done to finish the set-up process.
If you have followed the steps exactly as shown above, you should see your bank account listed on WhatsApp’s Payments page.
Sending or receiving money via WhatsApp
You can easily send and receive money via WhatsApp. The Payment option shows up in the Attachments menu in the conversation window, making it easier for users to send or request money.
- First, choose the contact you wish to send money to.
- Next, tap the paperclip icon (?) next to the text field at the bottom of the conversation window.
- Tap the Payment icon in the Attachments menu, then enter the amount you would like to send to the contact.
- Optionally, you can add a note as well. Tap the Send button to continue.
- Now enter your UPI PIN (the same one you used to set up your UPI account) to authorize the payment.
Upon a successful transaction, you should see a confirmation message sent from your end in the conversation window.
Receiving money is also seamless. Once someone sends you money via WhatsApp, it will be immediately credited to your linked bank account. You won’t have to manually transfer it to your account, just like other banking apps using UPI.
Talha Ali is your tech generalist, covering a wide spectrum of topics within the ever-evolving world of technology. With a curiosity for the latest innovations, industry trends, and breakthroughs. Whether it’s hardware, software, emerging technologies, or the intersection of tech with daily life, Talha’s articles provide readers with a well-rounded perspective on the dynamic landscape of the tech industry.
