WhatsApp is expanding its payments offerings in India by adding prepaid phone recharges for its 500 million users. The feature will operate through partnership with payment platform PayU.
The new service allows WhatsApp users to recharge prepaid mobile plans directly within the app, marking another step in the company's effort to deepen its payments presence in India's massive market.
WhatsApp Payments has struggled to gain traction since its 2020 launch in India, operating in a crowded competitive landscape dominated by Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm. The prepaid recharge feature targets a frequent transaction type that could boost transaction volume and user engagement.
The rollout comes as WhatsApp faces regulatory scrutiny in India over data privacy and payment practices. The company has been gradually expanding payment capabilities beyond peer-to-peer transfers, previously adding bill payments and merchant transactions.
PayU, which processes payments for the service, is a subsidiary of South Africa-based Naspers and operates extensively across emerging markets. The partnership leverages PayU's existing telecom recharge infrastructure.
WhatsApp's India strategy focuses on monetizing its largest user base outside the United States through financial services, though adoption remains limited compared to competitors.
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