You may have heard all the buzz on WhatsApp offering users a mobile payment option for the first time ever within WhatsApp in Brazil. Users would’ve been able to use the payment service for free. Nonetheless, mobile payments through WhatsApp have been suspended by the Central Bank.
So why has this recent move to add mobile payments on WhatsApp been stopped?
Keep reading to find out.
Why the Central Bank Pulled the Payment Feature
Let’s dive right into the story. The Facebook-owned app saw an opportunity to make mobile payments on WhatsApp to conduct business chats.
Although the company had expressed this idea to the authority, the Brazilian Central Bank still decided to suspend the payment service with little explanation as to why.
WhatsApp even conducted tests of the payment feature in Brazil about a month before the launch.
What the Central Bank Has to Say
Every story has two sides right?
This is what the Brazilian Central Bank had to say on their decision to take away the feature.
The Central Bank made the decision to “preserve an adequate competitive environment, that ensures the functioning of a payment system that’s interchangeable, fast, secure, transparent, open and cheap.”
This is understandable. It is possible that the new payment feature could have limited new businesses from entering a similar market as WhatsApp.
Let’s hear what WhatsApp has to say in response to the stop.
What WhatsApp Has to Say in Response to the Suspension
A WhatsApp spokesperson responded to the feature’s suspension and said, ”[…] we support the Central Bank’s PIX [Brazil’s new instant payment system] project on digital payments and together with our partners are committed to working with the Central Bank to integrate our systems when PIX becomes available.”
This seems to leave the situation on a positive note. Nonetheless, a relaunch of WhatsApp’s proposed payment feature might be too soon to tell.
What Does this Mean for Users’ Payment Flexibility?
The mobile payment option would have probably done very well in Brazil.
WhatsApp has seen great interest from Brazilian users to conduct business conversations through the app. As seen by the statistic, 77% of users in Brazil use WhatsApp to communicate with businesses.
Especially with the coronavirus pandemic, mobile payments could have raised profits among businesses and could have satisfied consumers’ needs whilst doing so safely and in a matter of seconds over the phone.
Now the suspension could make it harder for new businesses to integrate a similar plan.
However, there are still many payment methods in Brazil like credit cards, Boleto Báncario barcodes, and Paypal available.
Want to Stay Up to Date with the Latest News in Brazil?
You’ve read an overview of the WhatsApp mobile payments situation, and there is so much more to keep up with the latest news in Brazil.
If you want to stay up to date on all developments and trends for Brazil, message us at hola@colibricontent.com to learn more.
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