A new payments settings screen on Android and iOS lists additional countries, signalling a possible expansion, although WhatsApp has yet to confirm any plans.
WhatsApp is preparing a new Payments settings section that hints at a possible expansion into additional international markets, according to a report by WABetaInfo.
Currently, WhatsApp Payments operates in four countries: India, Brazil, Singapore and Mexico. However, a country selector discovered in a new settings screen lists several additional markets, including Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the United States.
The feature first appeared in an iOS beta and has now been spotted in Android beta version 2.26.43.7, distributed through the Google Play Store. WhatsApp has not officially confirmed plans to expand its payment services.
The new settings section includes an option to add a payment method, which opens Accounts Centre, allowing users to save their preferred payment details. WhatsApp says payment information is encrypted and stored separately from profile data.
Users will also be able to provide their email address, phone number and shipping address. These details can be updated at any time and used to pre-fill delivery information when purchasing products, reducing the need to enter the same information repeatedly.
The feature is also expected to allow users to request a copy of their payment information, including card and shipping details. They can subsequently use the same option to check whether WhatsApp has deleted their data from its servers.
According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp Payments has so far launched in markets where regulatory approvals and partnerships with local payment providers are in place.
The appearance of the Payments section on both Android and iOS suggests that WhatsApp may be preparing the underlying infrastructure for broader availability.
However, the Android feature remains under development and is not yet available to beta testers. WhatsApp has not announced a public release date or confirmed which additional countries, if any, will receive the service.