Since its release, WhatsApp’s payments feature had been limited to sending and receiving to and from other people who had linked their UPI IDs with WhatsApp. But now, you can transfer money to any UPI ID, irrespective of which app the person uses.
WhatsApp now gives you the option to either enter the recipient’s UPI ID or scan a QR code to transfer money to or request it from any person using other apps such as BHIM-UPI, Tez, Paytm (or other wallets which support UPI), or net banking apps.
To be able to send or receive money using WhatsApp, go to Settings and tap on Payments. On this page, you can manage your UPI accounts and even use multiple accounts like I am using. Next, tap on New Payment.
On this page, you’ll find the options to Pay to a UPI ID or to scan a QR Code of the other person from apps such as BHIM or Tez. The latter option is also convenient when you’re paying merchants who have UPI accounts.
You can tap on either of the options and after you input the UPI credentials of the other person, WhatsApp will take a moment or two to verify the ID, just to safeguard that the other ID is valid. Then, you will be prompted to choose whether you want to send money or request for a payment.
Based on which option you select, you will be directed to a new page where you can enter the amount to be sent or received.
Likewise, when someone else demands you to pay using UPI, you will receive a notification about the collection request. When you tap on the notification, you’ll be taken to a new page where you can accept or decline to pay the amount. Alternatively, you can head over to Payments in Settings and you’ll see the pending requests on the top of the page.
There are two things you must remember to be able to use the feature – one, WhatsApp Pay is currently only on an invite basis which means you will have to request a friend to invite you, and second, your UPI ID must be linked to the same mobile number as your WhatsApp.
This is a welcome addition to WhatsApp and is likely to give a great boost to UPI looking at the massive user base of WhatsApp in India. The messenger has 20 times as many users as Paytm, and this is likely to prompt more users to use WhatsApp as the default means for sending money.
