WhatsApp currently supports P2P (peer-to-perr) digital payments in India and Brazil which allows users to send money to family members or make payments in purchases.
But now, the digital payment service on WhatsApp will be integrated with the digital wallet made by Meta, namely Novi.
Last month the XDA-Developers website discovered a code in the beta version of WhatsApp that informed its payment service that it would start requiring document verification to send money using the app.
In the latest release of a more updated version of the app, it now appears that the verification is related to the new integration with the Novi digital wallet app.
The codeset found is centered around the verification process and is all labeled with "novi". This code is in line with a previous report by WABetaInfo which posted screenshots proving that WhatsApp is in the process of testing the integration of Novi in the messaging app WhatsApp.
Novi is currently available for download and there is a pilot program underway for users in the US and Guatemala.
Novi allows users to send and receive money without cross-border fees using Pax Dollars, a digital coin backed by US dollars. Novi is noted to have shown an intention to make its payment system secure and encrypted, possibly for the reason that it requires its users to verify their identity before being able to use the payment system.
This verification requirement will only be limited to regions where WhatsApp plans to use Novi for payments. Meanwhile, WhatsApp India uses UPI for payments so users in India do not need to submit verification documents to continue sending or receiving money.
There's no time limit on when users can start sending payments and it's unclear which regions are ready for Novi integration into WhatsApp.
