New Delhi: WhatsApp has officially unveiled a prepaid mobile recharge feature in partnership with payments platform PayU, by expanding its in-app payment services beyond the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transfers.
This integration has been rolled out in phases for the Android and iOS users across India and it will enables the users to complete recharges without leaving the application.
This generally marks the first time WhatsApp has allowed direct prepaid recharges within its interface. Reliance Jio earlier unveiled the chatbot on WhatsApp that enables users to select plans and pay through WhatsApp Pay, but that service was very limited to Jio users.
Only prepaid mobile connections are supported; postpaid bill payment is not included. Recharge is now available for Jio, Airtel, and Vi. BSNL has not been specified. Payments can be made through UPI, debit cards, and credit cards. This feature is currently available only on Android and iOS, not the desktop application or the WhatsApp Web client.
But the main reason is that it is only prepaid. However, neither WhatsApp nor PayU has officially given any explanations about the decision to limit the feature to prepaid users. Prepaid connections account for a larger share of mobile users in India, making them more immediately aimed at such services.
It is also possible that postpaid support might be unveiled later. Users already using the platform for services such as booking metro tickets, paying bills, and accessing government services via chatbots, suggesting a broader push to expand utility within the applications.