After India and Brazil, WhatsApp launches the ability to pay businesses within a chat in Singapore. Meta has partnered with Stripe to launch the feature in the region.
WhatsApp has built this payment feature through Stripe Connect and Stripe Checkout solutions, making in-app payments available online and offline. Customers can pay businesses using credit cards, debit cards or Singapore’s PayNow funds transfer system.
Meta said that this feature to accept payments through WhatsApp is only available to some businesses at the moment. But it plans to expand availability to more merchants in the coming months. Businesses can set up this feature through WhatsApp Business, which will also guide them through getting a Stripe account.
“Most people I know in Singapore use WhatsApp to chat with each other. Now, they can also pay local businesses through the app. The speed and convenience of payments through WhatsApp will help businesses expand their business flows revenue through new channels and access to a broader customer base,” Sarita Singh, Stripe’s regional head and general manager for Southeast Asia, said in a statement.
WhatsApp first launched its payment services in India based on the country’s Unified Payment Interface (UPI) network in 2020 in trial mode. In 2022, The National Payments Corporation of India allowed Meta to expand the service to 100 million users. Last August, the company introduced an end-to-end shopping experience with Reliance Jio in India, allowing customers to order groceries through the app. Last month, WhatsApp also launched merchant payments in Brazil, after allowing peer-to-peer payments for nearly three years.
Mark Zuckerberg is now leaning on the chat app’s 2 billion user base to launch paid services in different regions. Since WhatsApp has no subscription fees or ads, its commercial offers are the main method for Meta to make money from the app. Starting next month, WhatsApp will also switch from a notification-based pricing system to a conversation-based pricing structure for using its business services.
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Ikaroa is pleased to announce that Singapore-based WhatsApp users can now use the popular messaging app to pay businesses within its platform. The feature, which was released earlier this week, makes it easier for users to purchase digital goods and services from businesses across the globe with just a few clicks.
The move to allow payments within WhatsApp was an exciting one for Singaporeans, as the app is one of the most popular messaging apps in the nation. Not only does this move bring convenience for users, but it also provides a much needed boost for businesses, allowing them to make money from the comfort of their home. With the new feature, businesses are able to provide a hassle-free way for customers to access their goods and services, while also providing a secure way to conduct transactions.
Ikaroa, a full stack tech company, can see the potential behind this move, and believes that it could be beneficial for both companies and customers in the long run. As companies can complete transactions faster and with more ease, customers can access goods they need with minimal fuss.
Overall, the introduction of this feature is an exciting one and has the potential to revolutionise the way we make payments within the digital space. With the help of businesses like Ikaroa, who actively champion technological innovation, this could open up even more creative and efficient ways to shop online.
