Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 6: WhatsApp has launched its Bill Payments feature in India, marking a significant expansion of its services as the country continues to witness unprecedented growth in digital transactions through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
The new feature, launched on September 3, allows users to pay a range of bills directly through WhatsApp without having to leave the messaging platform.
The move comes at a time when India's UPI ecosystem is witnessing record transaction volumes. UPI transactions continued their strong growth in August, with transaction volumes rising 22 per cent year-on-year and the total value increasing by 20 per cent. The average daily transaction volume reached 791 million.
August recorded the second consecutive month of record UPI transactions, following July's 23.66 billion transactions valued at Rs 29.88 lakh crore.
Launched by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) in April 2016, UPI has emerged as one of the world's largest real-time digital payment systems. Annual transaction volumes have increased dramatically from around 2 crore transactions in FY 2016-17 to more than 24,161 crore transactions in FY 2025-26, with the total transaction value crossing Rs 314 lakh crore.
The UPI network, which began with just 21 banks, now has more than 700 banks connected to it. The platform has also expanded internationally and is currently available in countries including the UAE, Singapore, France, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and Qatar.
With the introduction of Bill Payments, WhatsApp users can access services powered by the Bharat Connect (BBPS) network. The feature provides access to 22,722 billers across 30 categories, including electricity, gas, water, FASTag, insurance, credit card payments and loan repayments.
Users can access the Bill Payments facility through the rupee icon on the WhatsApp home screen. The feature also enables users to view payment history, track upcoming bills, manage multiple accounts under a single service provider and choose from different payment options.
Meta India Managing Director and Country Head Arun Srinivas said the initiative was aimed at bringing the simplicity of WhatsApp communication to everyday household tasks such as paying bills.
The company hopes to make bill payments as effortless as sending a message and further extend the convenience of digital payments to users across different parts of the country, including remote areas.