From Chat to Checkout: WhatsApp Adds In-App Payments
Hey Payments Fanatic!
Meta just turned WhatsApp into a checkout counter.
At its business summit in Mumbai, the tech giant announced that small businesses can now accept payments directly inside the WhatsApp Business App. With a single tap, merchants can share QR codes, making it easier for customers to pay on the spot without leaving the chat.
For the millions of SMBs that already rely on WhatsApp to talk to customers, this could be the missing piece to close sales faster and keep everything in one thread.
What do you think? Is this a game-changer for merchants in India?
Cheers,
Follow me on Threads for daily scoops!
NEWS
🇲🇽 Pomelo appoints Jacob Levin as Country Manager for Mexico and consolidates its position as a strategic partner for major card issuers. With extensive experience in the financial industry, the executive will drive the growth of the local operation and expand the portfolio of major issuers, including banks, unicorns, and large international companies.
🇮🇳 WhatsApp is betting big on India for its Business products: Key takeaways from its second Business Summit. These include in-app calling for larger businesses, which will now allow customers to connect with support executives instantly using voice calls. Additionally, video calling and voice message functionalities are set to be launched soon.
🇪🇺 Alipay bets on EU stablecoin, and why Luxembourg matters. Alipay’s Luxembourg authorisation opened the door to launching a euro stablecoin across the EU. This step fitted Ant Group’s push to make cross-border payments faster and cheaper for its billion-plus users worldwide.
🌍 UPI launches program to extend payment network for international students. With UnionPay products, international students can enjoy a wide range of discounts at retailers, restaurants, transportation services, airlines, hotels, and online food delivery services.
🇦🇺 NextGen launches open banking-powered Automated Income Verification feature within ApplyOnline, aiming to address inefficiencies in the lending industry’s income assessment process. The new open banking-powered tool is designed to replace manual, document-based verification with a secure, data-driven approach.
🇬🇧 Guavapay announces temporary suspension of UK services. Guavapay has temporarily suspended the acceptance of new funds into its MyGuava App and MyGuava Business platform following an agreement with the FCA. While users cannot load funds or create new cards during this period, existing funds remain safeguarded, and customers can still access their accounts, view transaction history, and use or withdraw their existing balances.
🇮🇳 Pay Rupy partners with BRISKPE to expand into cross-border payments. The partnership delivers a one-stop solution for domestic and international money movement, bridging Bharat´s digital economy with global markets through innovation, trust, and compliance.
🇸🇦 Merak Capital invests $1.2 million in Saudi FinTech Bynow to accelerate product development and expand regionally. The company is also developing broader products for automating accounts receivable and payable, aiming to simplify intercompany payment processes that are often handled manually.
🌍 FinTech veteran Ezypay acquired by US payments firm Xplor. Xplor Pay President Matt Morrow said that integrating Ezypay’s capabilities will enable SaaS platforms to enter the Asia Pacific region more easily, streamline operations across multiple markets, and offer a more unified and consistent consumer experience.
🇺🇸 PayPal expands PYUSD stablecoin to 9 new blockchains through LayerZero integration. The integration utilizes LayerZero’s Stargate Hydra bridge system to provide broader access across multiple cryptocurrency platforms. It creates PYUSD0, a permissionless version that works on Tron, Avalanche, Aptos, Abstract, Ink, Sei, and Stable.
Want your message in front of 100.000+ FinTech fanatics, founders, investors, and operators?
Shoot me a message on LinkedIn or send me an e-mail.
Comments ()