WhatsApp launches bill payments in India via Bharat Connect network

New Delhi, September 3 (IANS): Meta-backed messaging platform WhatsApp on Thursday announced the rollout of bill payments in India which allow users to find, manage and pay household and utility bills directly.

The feature is being rolled out gradually and will be available to all Android and iOS users in the coming weeks, the company said.

Powered by the Bharat Connect (BBPS) network, the service will provide access to about 22,722 billers across 30 categories, including electricity, gas, water, FASTag, insurance, credit card and loan repayments.

In addition, users can access the bill payments feature by tapping the rupee icon at the top of the WhatsApp home screen.

They can also view past and upcoming payments, manage multiple accounts under a single provider and pay using UPI as well as credit and debit cards.

"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," said Arun Srinivas, managing director and country head, Meta India.

"With Bill payments, we are bringing that same simplicity to one of the most routine tasks in every household," he said.

He further added that the company wants to make bill payments on WhatsApp as easy as sending a message.

The launch comes after CEO Mark Zuckerberg said earlier in June that CRED founder Kunal Shah will join Meta as WhatsApp’s next global CEO, and that the tech giant is investing around $900 million (nearly Rs 8,550 crore) in the fintech company.

WhatsApp Pay processed 150 million transactions in June 2026, up more than four times from 37 million transactions in June 2024.

However, its share of UPI transaction volumes also rose to around 0.7 per cent in June 2026 from 0.27 per cent two years earlier.