Send Money with WhatsApp

Starting today, people across India will be able to send money via WhatsApp. This secure payment experience makes transferring money as easy as sending a message. People can send money securely to a family member or share the cost of goods remotely without having to exchange money in person or visit a local bank.

WhatsApp designed our payment function in partnership with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) using the Unified Payment Interface (UPI), a real-time payment system designed for India, which enables transactions with more of 160 banks supported. We are excited to join the Indian campaign to increase the ease and use of digital payments, which helps expand financial inclusion in India.

To send money on WhatsApp to India, it is necessary to have a bank account and a debit card in India. WhatsApp sends instructions to banks, also known as payment service providers, which initiate the transfer of money via UPI between the sender's and recipient's bank accounts. We are delighted to work with five major Indian banks: State Bank of India, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICIBank, and Jio Payments Bank. People can send money on WhatsApp to anyone using a UPI supported app.

In the long run, we believe that the combination of WhatsApp and UPI's unique architecture can help local organizations address some of the key challenges of our time, including increasing rural participation in the digital economy and provision of financial services to those who have never had access to them before.

Like all of WhatsApp's features, payments are designed with a solid set of security and privacy principles, including entering a personal UPI PIN for each payment. Payments on WhatsApp are now available for users of the latest version of the iPhone and Android app.