- WhatsApp is developing a dedicated Payments section for its iOS app, hinting at future expansion.
- The new feature could allow users to send money and manage payments directly within WhatsApp.
- Kunal Shah’s appointment as head may influence WhatsApp’s payment service growth, but no launch date is confirmed.
Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
WhatsApp appears to be laying the groundwork for a wider rollout of its payments service, raising the possibility that users in Nigeria and other countries could eventually send money and make payments without leaving the messaging app.
The development was spotted in WhatsApp beta for iOS version 26.33.10.70, where the company is reportedly developing a dedicated Payments section.
Credit: WABetaInfo/Novatis
Source: UGC
The feature is not yet available to beta testers, and there is no confirmed launch date.
WhatsApp already supports payments in selected markets, including India, Brazil, Singapore and Mexico, although the systems differ from country to country.
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In India, payments operate through UPI, the country’s real-time payment infrastructure. Brazil uses PIX for peer-to-peer transfers, while Singapore’s service works with Stripe and the local PayNow system, according to a report by WABetaInfo.
In Mexico, registered businesses can accept payments directly through WhatsApp chats.
New payments section reveals more clues
The new iOS development suggests WhatsApp wants to make payments easier to manage within the application.
The proposed Payments section is divided into several areas. One allows users to select a contact, enter an amount and potentially send money directly to that person.
Users could also save credit and debit card information for faster payments. The card form includes details such as the card’s expiry date, CVV and billing address.
Another section focuses on shipping information. Users may be able to save their email address, phone number and delivery address, as well as download or delete their stored payment information.
The development points to a broader payment infrastructure that could eventually support transactions beyond WhatsApp’s existing markets.
Nigeria appears on the radar, but nothing is confirmed
One of the more interesting clues is the list of countries appearing in the billing-address selector.
The list reportedly includes countries such as Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Ghana, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and the United States.
While the presence of these countries does not mean WhatsApp is preparing to launch payments in all of them, it suggests the company is building a system capable of handling users from a wider range of markets.
For Nigeria, the development could be significant if WhatsApp eventually secures the necessary regulatory approvals and establishes partnerships with local payment providers.
However, there is currently no official confirmation that Nigeria has been selected for a WhatsApp Payments launch.
New WhatsApp leadership adds another twist
The development also comes after WhatsApp appointed Kunal Shah as its new head, replacing Will Cathcart after seven years in the role.
Shah founded CRED, an Indian fintech company known for its focus on credit card payments and financial services.
His background in financial technology adds an interesting dimension to WhatsApp’s apparent push to develop its payments capabilities.
Still, it would be premature to conclude that his appointment means a major payment expansion is guaranteed.
WhatsApp payments remains a work in progress
For now, WhatsApp has not announced plans to expand payments to Nigeria or any specific new market.
The Payments section remains under development, and WhatsApp could change, delay or abandon some of the features before they are officially released.
Credit: WABetaInfo/Novatis
Source: UGC
Any expansion would also require regulatory approvals and local payment partnerships, which could significantly affect when and where the service becomes available.
For now, the clearest signal is that WhatsApp is developing a more comprehensive payments system for iOS, with support for country and billing information extending beyond its existing payment markets.
If the plans eventually move forward, WhatsApp could transform from a messaging platform into an even bigger part of how users communicate, shop and move money online.
WhatsApp to stop working on older iPhones
Legit.ng earlier reported that WhatsApp users with older smartphones may soon lose access to the popular messaging platform as the company rolls out a major compatibility update affecting both iPhone and Android devices.
The update, introduced as part of WhatsApp’s regular system maintenance cycle, is designed to improve security, app performance, and compatibility with newer features. However, it also means that several older devices will no longer be able to run the app.
Source: Legit.ng