Digital Payment / Pay Utility Bills Instantly with WhatsApp’s New Feature

New Delhi, Sep 3: WhatsApp, the Meta‑owned messaging giant, is expanding its footprint in India’s digital payments ecosystem by introducing a bill payments feature that allows users to settle household and utility bills directly within the app.

The service, powered by the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS), will gradually be available to all Android and iOS users in the coming weeks. It provides access to nearly 22,722 billers across 30 categories, including electricity, gas, water, FASTag, insurance, credit card, and loan repayments.

Users can access the feature by tapping the rupee icon at the top of the WhatsApp home screen. They will also be able to view past and upcoming payments, manage multiple accounts under a single provider, and pay using UPI, credit cards, or debit cards.

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Arun Srinivas, Managing Director and Country Head of 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. With Bill payments, we are bringing that same simplicity to one of the most routine tasks in every household.”

He added that the company aims to make bill payments on WhatsApp “as easy as sending a message.”

The launch follows Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement in June that CRED founder Kunal Shah will become WhatsApp’s next global CEO, alongside Meta’s $900 million (₹8,550 crore) investment in the fintech company.

WhatsApp Pay has seen rapid growth, processing 150 million transactions in June 2026, up from 37 million in June 2024. Its share of UPI transaction volumes rose to 0.7% in June 2026, compared to 0.27% two years earlier.

(IANS)