WhatsApp could be working on a new payment feature for its users in India. As per a leak, the instant messaging platform could enable international payments via its in-app Unified Payments Interface (UPI) service. Here are all the details you need to know.
As per a post by an X user who goes by the name of AssembleDebug, WhatsApp might be working on a new feature to enable International Payments via UPI for Indian users.
“International Payments on WhatsApp through UPI for Indian users. This is currently not available for users. But WhatsApp might be working on it as I couldn't find anything on Google about it. Apps like Phonepe, GPay, and some others already support this,” he wrote in an X post.
He also shared a screenshot of the feature where a new option is visible in the Payments menu below the Forgot UPI PIN option. The purported feature is labeled as International payments. When clicked, it opens a separate screen where users can enter the start and end dates to send payments to businesses in supported countries for up to 3 months. Users also need to enter their UPI PIN to enable this feature.
For the unversed, International payments enable users with an Indian bank account to send money to specific international merchants and complete transactions. This feature will only work in countries where banks have enabled international UPI services. In India, international payments via UPI automatically expire and need to be activated manually again.
Based on the provided screenshot, the expiration period for WhatsApp could be three months, whereas Google Pay offers a transaction period of seven days. It's worth noting that Google Pay, PhonePe, and other major players in the UPI space already offer this service.
Meanwhile, WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new feature that will be powered by generative AI. The upcoming feature will allow users to edit their images using an AI-powered editing tool. This feature is likely to enable users to quickly modify an image's background, restyle it, or 'expand' it using AI.
ALSO READ: WhatsApp now allows users to pin up to three messages: Here's how to use this feature
