WhatsApp Brings Utility, Credit Card And Loan Bill Payments To India

Meta-owned WhatsApp has launched its bill payments feature in India, allowing users to find, manage and pay household and utility bills through the messaging platform.

According to an official release by Meta India, the feature is powered by the Bharat Connect (BBPS) network and provides access to 22,722 billers across 30 categories. These include electricity, gas, water, FASTag, insurance, credit card payments and loan repayments.

The feature is being rolled out gradually across India and will be available to Android and iOS users over the coming weeks.

How To Access Bill Payments

Users can access the bill payments section by tapping the ₹ (Rupee) icon at the top of the WhatsApp home screen. Users can then choose a bill category and biller, add and confirm their account details, and review the fetched bill amount.

They can also choose their preferred payment method from the options available, including the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), debit card and credit card, before confirming the payment.

The feature also allows users to view past payments and upcoming bills. Multiple accounts under a single provider can be managed from one place, which can include accounts for a home, office or family members.

Features Available On WhatsApp

The bill payments section includes a household bills summary, where bills are pre-fetched. A biller previously paid through WhatsApp's bill payments service can also appear on the Payments Home section for one-tap access.

The platform will automatically display the most-used bill categories on Payments Home. Users can select the ‘See All’ option to browse the full list of more than 20 categories.

The categories available through the service cover both regular household payments and financial obligations. Besides utility bills such as electricity, gas and water, users can make payments towards FASTag, insurance, credit cards and loans.

Gradual Rollout Across India

WhatsApp is already used in India for services such as mobile recharges, metro ticket bookings and access to citizen services through government chatbots, according to Meta India.

The bill payments feature adds recurring household and utility payments to the services available within the app.

Meta India has not provided a specific date by which the feature will reach all users. The company has indicated that the rollout will take place gradually, with availability for Android and iOS users expected over the coming weeks.