WhatsApp introduces in-app payments for small businesses in Brazil, expanding its e-commerce offerings

WhatsApp has launched a new feature in Brazil that allows users to shop and pay for goods and services in-app.

The payments-to-merchant feature is available now for a limited number of businesses and will be rolled out more widely in the coming months. Users can make purchases using Mastercard or Visa credit, debit, or prepaid cards without the need to visit a website, open another app or pay in person.

The launch of the payment service is part of WhatsApp's efforts to offer both peer-to-peer transfers and payments-to-merchant services within its app.

WhatsApp had previously launched peer-to-peer payments in 2020, but the service was suspended by the country's central bank over competition concerns. The feature was eventually reinstated in 2021, and the company has been working to get merchant payments off the ground since then.

Payments services are important for WhatsApp as it increasingly positions itself as a way to interact with businesses as well as friends and family. The company has also rolled out similar payment features in India, where it has received government approval to offer payments services to 100 million users.