Meta has launched WhatsApp bill payment services in India, powered by the Bharat Connect (BBPS) network.
The service is built on the Bharat Connect network, formerly known as the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS), and provides access to more than 22.722 billers across 30 categories, including electricity, gas, water, FASTag, insurance, credit card bills, and loan repayments.
Phased rollout and payment options
The feature is being introduced in phases across India and is expected to reach all Android and iOS users within the coming weeks, according to the company. Users will access bill payments through a rupee icon on the WhatsApp home screen, from where they can select a bill category and biller, enter and confirm account details, and review the bill amount before completing payment.
According to the announcement, transactions can be made via UPI, debit card, or credit card. The service also allows users to manage multiple accounts under a single biller, a feature intended to support the tracking and payment of bills for different locations or family members registered with the same provider.
Meta (India) country head and managing director Arun Srinivas said that the addition of bill payments extends WhatsApp's existing role in the country, where the app is already used for messaging, business communication, access to citizen services, and purchases such as metro tickets and insurance. It was also added that the feature is intended to consolidate bill payment into a single app rather than requiring multiple separate applications, and to extend digital payment access to users in remote areas of the country.
Market context in India
India represents WhatsApp's largest user base globally, with more than 850 million users, according to a report by The New Indian Express. The same report noted that WhatsApp Pay recorded more than 167 million transactions in July 2026, with a combined value of approximately USD 1.37 billion.
The rollout positions WhatsApp to compete more directly with other bill payment and UPI-linked services operating in India's digital payments market, where BBPS has been positioned as an interoperable infrastructure layer connecting billers, payment platforms, and banks. Integration with an established messaging platform with an extensive user base in India could broaden the reach of BBPS-linked bill payment services, particularly among users who already rely on WhatsApp for other transactional activities.
