How to send money using WhatsApp: New payment feature being trialled by chat app

WhatsApp users are set to see an exciting new feature in the chat app, one that allows them to send money to friends and relatives without the need to reach for their wallets.

The WhatsApp Payments feature, which could offer a simple way to pay someone back a taxi fare or dinner, is being trialled by the Facebook-owned app and is expected to rollout to UK users in a future update.

The bank to bank transfer function was spotted by website WaBetaInfo, who took a screenshot of the app appearing to show the service will use the United Payments Interface for 'immediate' transfers.

No further information was revealed such as transfer limits, bank support or whether it would be available on both iOS and Android.

Users of Facebook's other chat app, Messenger, have already been able to transfer money to friends using the platform and Apple is also working on a similar function with its iMessage.

With the UPI system being run by the Reserve Bank of India it is rumoured the service will be made available in India first then released to the rest of its one billion daily active users around the world at a later date. Currently, there is no information as to when the next update will be released.

One feature WhatsApp users are desperately waiting for is the 'Unsend' function that allows messages sent by mistake to be recalled. Those who have been embarrassingly caught out in the past will be able to breathe a sigh of relief as it appears the feature is in development. Instructions on how to delete sent messages were spotted on the WhatsApp support page but were swiftly taken down. This, again, will likely arrive in a future update – and it can't come soon enough.