This archive report was first published on 17 June 2020.
On June 17, 2020, Facebook launched payments on WhatsApp for the first time, starting in Brazil, as part of its Facebook Pay feature. This feature allows users to make secure and consistent payments across Facebook apps.
According to Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's Founder and CEO, “We’re making sending and receiving money as easy as sharing photos. We’re also enabling small businesses to make sales right within WhatsApp.”
Facebook Pay is currently available in about 40 countries around the world, though it’s limited to the main Facebook app in most markets. The Brazil launch marks the first full countrywide launch for payments in WhatsApp and signals a new way for the company to monetize the messaging app.
WhatsApp now boasts over 2 billion users, making it among the most popular social apps in the world. The company had earlier been rumoured to be backing away from plans to monetize its multibillion messaging app.
The payment will be processed using your card information and a Facebook Pay pin is applied every time you send your money for security. Your card information is encrypted in accordance with PCI requirements and protected by multiple layers of security.
