WhatsApp Reportedly Planning To Launch Mobile Payments Service

Sending money via messenger apps isn’t new and in fact there are already several options for users out there. However it looks like the feature could finally be finding its way onto WhatsApp, or at least that’s according to a recent sighting of a job listing on WhatsApp’s website (via Gadgets 360).

The job listing calls for a “Digital Transactions Lead” although we should point out that the job is for someone located in India. It calls for the candidate to be familiar with India and its culture as well as the “Ability to understand and explain UPI, BHIM, Aadhar number”, which for those unfamiliar are used in India to enable payments using mobile numbers.

In a statement provided by a WhatsApp spokesman, “India is an important country for WhatsApp, and we’re understanding how we can contribute more to the vision of Digital India. We’re exploring how we might work with companies that share this vision and continuing to listen closely to feedback from our users.”

No word on when this feature will be launched, but it does sound like WhatsApp is interested in pursuing it. There is also no telling if we will see the service find its way to other markets outside of India, but like we said there are messenger apps out there that do facilitate such services, so presumably WhatsApp could launch it worldwide to better compete.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Cellphones
Tags: Apps, Whatsapp