WhatsApp expands payment services for businesses to Singapore

WhatsApp has launched a feature that allows users in Singapore to pay businesses within the app.

The payment service has been built using Stripe Connect and Stripe Checkout solutions, enabling customers to make in-app payments online or offline, using credit cards, debit cards or the Singaporean PayNow fund transfer system.

Payment services were first launched in India based on the Unified Payment Interface network in 2020, and the National Payments Corporation of India permitted Meta to expand the service to 100 million users in 2022.

WhatsApp also launched merchant payments in Brazil last month after almost three years of peer-to-peer payments. At present, the service is available to a limited number of businesses, but the intention is to expand availability over the coming months. Meta has partnered with Stripe to offer the feature in the region.

Meta is relying on WhatsApp's two billion users to provide a business offering that can make money from the app, given that the platform has no subscription fees or ads. From next month, the platform will move from a notification-based pricing system to a conversation-based pricing structure for the use of Business services.