Giant tech company, Meta, has launched a payment feature on its WhatsApp service for users and local business owners based in Brazil.
The company announced via its website on Tuesday that Brazil’s WhatsApp users can now pay businesses via the app’s end-to-end encrypted chat.
The feature operates like a shopping app which allows customers to search for goods or services provided by local business owners, add purchases to virtual shopping carts and pay for the transaction.
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“The release read in part, On WhatsApp in Brazil, you can search for a business, browse goods and services, add them to your cart and make a payment all with just a few taps.
“It’s now possible to pay for goods and services using Mastercard and Visa debit, credit and pre-paid cards issued by the numerous banks participating in the service. Small businesses using the WhatsApp Business app can link a supported payment partner — such as Cielo, Mercado Pago or Rede — and create an order within the app to securely accept payments from their customers,”
The company assured that the payment method was secure as card numbers used for transactions are “encrypted and securely stored.” Users will also be required to create a unique payment PIN and for each transaction.
While the feature is only currently available in Brazil, Meta stated that plans to make the feature available in other countries are in the works.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
