Meta Platforms is rolling out bill payment services on WhatsApp in India, allowing users to find, manage and pay household and utility bills within the app.
In a statement, Meta said the service is powered by the Bharat Connect (BBPS) network and will offer access to 22,722 billers across 30 categories.
These categories include electricity, gas, water, FASTag, insurance, credit card bills and loan repayments.
The feature will be introduced in phases across India and is expected to be available to all Android and iOS users in the "coming weeks", the statement added.
Meta (India) country head and managing director Arun Srinivas said: "For millions of Indians, WhatsApp is already the simplest way to stay close to family and friends, talk to businesses, access citizen services, and buy everything from metro tickets to insurance – all without leaving the app.
"With Bill payments, we're bringing that same simplicity to one of the most routine tasks in every household. No more juggling apps or tracking multiple due dates. We want to make paying a bill on WhatsApp as effortless as sending a message, and help bring the convenience of digital payments to people across the remotest parts of the country."
Users will be able to access bill payments by tapping the '₹' icon at the top of the WhatsApp home screen. They can then select a bill category and biller, add and confirm account details, and review the fetched bill amount and other required information before completing the transaction.
The service supports payments via UPI, debit card and credit card.
Meta said users will also be able to manage multiple accounts under a single biller. This is designed to help users track and pay bills for different locations or family members under the same provider.
According to a report in The New Indian Express, India is WhatsApp's largest market, with more than 850 million users.
The report also said WhatsApp Pay recorded more than 167 million transactions in July, with a combined value of Rs 129.57bn ($1.37bn).
"Meta to roll out bill payments on WhatsApp in India via BBPS" was originally created and published by Electronic Payments International, a GlobalData owned brand.