The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has officially removed the user onboarding limit for WhatsApp Pay, granting the platform the ability to offer Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services to its entire user base of 500 million in India. This significant move marks a new chapter for WhatsApp Pay, expanding its reach across the country’s vast digital payments ecosystem.
Previously, WhatsApp Pay’s growth was restricted by phased user onboarding limits imposed by NPCI to ensure scalability, security, and performance in the sensitive payments environment. When the platform initially launched, it was allowed to onboard only a small fraction of UPI users. Gradual increases in the cap followed, reaching 100 million users by November 2022. This phased approach enabled WhatsApp Pay to enhance its systems and ensure operational reliability.
NPCI’s decision to lift the cap coincides with its extension of the compliance deadline for the UPI market share cap. According to a circular issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on December 31, the deadline for third-party application providers (TPAPs) to comply with the 30% UPI market share cap has been extended until December 31, 2026. “In view of various factors, the compliance timeline for existing TPAPs exceeding the volume cap has been extended,” stated the RBI.
This development positions WhatsApp Pay to play a larger role in India’s digital payments ecosystem, competing with established players while leveraging its extensive user base. NPCI’s directive from early 2021 specified that no single UPI app could exceed 30% of the total UPI payments market share, a regulation aimed at maintaining market balance and encouraging competition.
With the onboarding limit now removed, WhatsApp Pay is poised to drive further adoption of UPI services across the country, fostering growth and innovation in India’s rapidly evolving payments landscape.
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