WhatsApp started rolling out a bill payments service in India on Thursday, allowing users to settle household and utility bills inside the messaging app.

The service is built on Bharat Connect, the network earlier called the Bharat Bill Payment System, and links users to 22,722 billers across 30 categories. These include electricity, gas, water, FASTag, insurance, credit card dues and loan repayments. Bills can be paid through UPI, or by debit or credit card.

Access is through the rupee icon at the top of the home screen, where users select a category and a biller and enter their account details. The outstanding amount is then displayed for confirmation before payment is made. Previously paid billers are listed on the payments home screen, and several accounts can be held under one biller, covering homes, offices and family members.

Arun Srinivas, managing director and country head, Meta (India), said: "For millions of Indians, WhatsApp is already the simplest way to stay close to family and friends, talk to businesses, access citizen services, and buy everything from metro tickets to insurance — all without leaving the app."

He added: "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."

The company said the rollout would be gradual, reaching Android and iOS users over the next few weeks.

India is WhatsApp's biggest market, with more than 850 million users. WhatsApp Pay recorded over 167 million transactions worth Rs 12,957 crore in July, compared with 74.6 million worth Rs 5,412.58 crore in the same month last year, moving it from eleventh to eighth place among UPI applications.

Source: New Indian Express

--Agencies