WhatsApp is preparing to launch a person-to-person payments on its platform within the next six months, four sources with knowledge of the matter told the Indian news service The Ken. The report also cites a job ad for a position at the company's head office in Menlo Park, California, for a digital transactions lead in India, with knowledge of local payment and ID systems UPI, Aadhaar and BHIM. WhatsApp does not have staff in India yet, but is estimated to count around 200 million users in the country.
WhatsApp told Bloomberg that it wants to "contribute more to India’s vision for digital commerce". Mobile payments have taken off sharply in the past year in India, following the government's elimination of small cash denominations in order to stimulate electronic commerce and improve tax receipts. Paytm, a mobile wallet provider backed by Alibaba, has been one of the main beneficiaries of the growth.
