Today, we’re sharing an update on what we’re building to help people find, message and buy something from a business on WhatsApp.

Find a Business

People want a convenient way to quickly find the businesses they’re looking for among the millions of small businesses and tens of thousands of brands already on WhatsApp. We’re launching the ability for people to browse businesses by category – such as travel or banking – or search for one by name to find it. This will save people from having to find phone numbers on websites or search for one in their contacts list.

We’ve built business search in a way that protects people’s privacy, and what you search for is processed in a way that cannot be linked back to your account. To start, we’re launching this feature in Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia and the United Kingdom, where people can find companies using our WhatsApp Business Platform. In Brazil, search will help people find small businesses as well.

Message a Business

As more businesses use WhatsApp, we want people to be in control of their conversations. Some of the businesses that have recently joined WhatsApp are helping people open a bank account, purchase a train ticket and order groceries.

Buy From a Business

We want people to be able to make a secure payment right from a chat with their credit or debit card, and we recently launched this experience in India. Now, we’re excited to be testing this in Brazil with multiple payment partners. This seamless checkout experience will be a game-changer for people and businesses looking to buy and sell on WhatsApp without having to go to a website, open another app or pay in-person.

These new experiences are part of making WhatsApp the best way for people to connect with their favorite businesses.