WhatsApp banking: Use cases and examples for banks

Imagine enabling your customers to check account balances, pay bills, and verify fraud alerts directly within WhatsApp. This guide provides an overview of essential WhatsApp banking use cases for financial institutions, supported by practical examples and step-by-step instructions for implementation via Infobip’s platform or API. 

What is WhatsApp banking? 

Banking over WhatsApp enables financial institutions to provide support, send marketing messages, and capitalize on cross-sell and upsell opportunities over the popular chat app. From discovery and onboarding to conversions and re-engagement, WhatsApp banking can make automating use cases simpler, allowing banks to offer more convenient and better service to customers. 

Over 60% of banks worldwide are using WhatsApp to automate banking use cases and enhance the customer journey.

Source: Infobip CX Maturity report for banking 

WhatsApp banking is most often used over the WhatsApp Business Platform which offers banks easy access to advanced messaging features like: 

• Cloud APIs
• Reliable delivery reporting 
• CRM integration 

What are the benefits for banks and financial institutions that use WhatsApp? 

Real-time support 

Instant support and 24/7 availability are big perks for banking customers who are used to waiting in call queues for banking specialists. Thanks to easy to use chatbots and WhatsApp Flows, customers get real-time support at any time. Plus, seamless handoff to live agents is available when needed, so WhatsApp banking streamlines the entire banking experience.   

Richer banking experiences 

Instant support and 24/7 availability are big perks for banking customers who are used to waiting in call queues for banking specialists. Thanks to easy to use chatbots and WhatsApp Flows, customers get real-time customer service on WhatsApp at any time. Plus, seamless handoff to live agents is available when needed, so WhatsApp banking streamlines the entire banking experience.   

Operational efficiency and cost reductions 

Speed up resolution times and automate self-service cases like FAQs, balance checks, card blocks, appointment booking, and routine updates to deflect calls and reduce handling time. Plus, adding call deflection from voice calls to digital chat can speed up inbound call volumes and help enable customers to use digital channels which helps banks save on call center costs. 

Security and compliance 

WhatsApp offers enterprise-grade security with end-to-end encryption and verified business profiles to protect sensitive financial conversations between banks and their customers. Business-initiated messages require explicit user consent and must use pre-approved templates aligned with WhatsApp and Meta policies.

Infobip helps design policy-aligned workflows that support regional requirements such as PSD2, GDPR, RBI guidelines, and other local regulations.

Higher engagement and ROI 

WhatsApp banking makes connecting with customers easier and more rewarding. Take Angel Broking, for example, they welcomed 39% of their customers through WhatsApp and see a lively 47% monthly engagement rate. Mukuru’s story is just as impressive, with 42% of users going for WhatsApp banking and an outstanding 80% customer satisfaction score. These real-world examples show how WhatsApp’s interactive and convenient messaging helps financial services build stronger relationships, spark more engagement, and see better returns. 

Key use cases for WhatsApp banking

Banks all around the world use WhatsApp to automate important use cases. Here’s a short list of the most popular ones and why banks have started their switch to digital journeys here: 

Customer support 

38% of banks use WhatsApp to automate customer support: 

• Automate FAQs, balance checks, and simple requests with chatbots, then hand off complex cases to live agents
• Deflect calls from voice to chat to reduce wait times and service costs while keeping conversations secure and branded via a verified business profile 
• Build with Infobip: chatbot builder for automation, cloud contact center for agent support, customer engagement solution for proactive outreach, customer data platform for unified profiles and personalization  

An example of a call deflection message pushing customers to WhatsApp.

Payment reminders

39% of banks use WhatsApp for payment reminders: 

• Send due date alerts, payment confirmations, and receipts using utility templates. Business-initiated messages require explicit opt-in and pre-approved templates 
• Personalize amounts, due dates, and links. Add quick replies for “Pay now,” “View statement,” or “Need help” 
• Build with Infobip: Orchestrate reminders in customer engagement platform, trigger template sends via API, and track delivery, seen, click, and conversion metrics in analytics 

An example of a WhatsApp payment reminder.

Customer onboarding

39% of banks use WhatsApp for onboarding: 

• Guide onboarding with structured WhatsApp Flows: capture documents, validate identity, and update status in real time  
• Use utility templates for application updates outside the 24-hour window. Add authentication steps for sensitive actions 
• Build with Infobip: Chatbot builder and Flows for guided journeys, cloud contact center for agent checks, customer data platform for profile enrichment, customer engagement platform for welcome sequences 

Appointment booking

42% of banks use WhatsApp for branch appointment bookings: 

• Let customers book branch visits or meetings in chat with date pickers, quick replies, and confirmations. Flows support end-to-end booking experiences in WhatsApp 
• Send reminders and reschedule options using utility templates when outside the service window  
• Build with Infobip: Use Flows for scheduling UX, customer engagement platform for reminder logic, and WhatsApp CRM integration to sync calendars and customer preferences

Card transaction notifications

39% of banks use WhatsApp for card transaction notifications: 

• Deliver instant transaction alerts, spend summaries, and travel notices using utility templates. Add quick actions like “Freeze card” or “Report a problem” 
• Keep data private with end-to-end encryption and a verified sender for trust  
• Build with Infobip: Trigger notifications via API, add secure decision branches in Flows, escalate to agents in cloud contact center to an agent when needed 

Product and services promotions

37% of banks use WhatsApp to promote products and services: 

• Run opt-in marketing campaigns for new accounts, credit cards, loans, and wealth services with rich media, catalogs, and interactive buttons. Marketing templates require consent and pre-approval
• Use Click to WhatsApp ads to acquire and re-engage customers. Once the user starts interacting with you via click to WhatsApp ads, a special entry point rules apply. All templated messages sent within 72-hour time window are free of charge.
• Build with Infobip: Customer engagement platform for segmentation and A/B tests, analytics for CTR and conversion, and unified reporting across ads and messaging 

An example of a promotional message over WhatsApp.

Suspicious transaction alerts

32% of banks use WhatsApp to alert of suspicious activity:

• Notify customers of unusual activity in real time. Collect confirmations in-chat and trigger protective actions like card freeze or password reset  
• Use authentication templates to add OTP or step-up verification for risky actions
• Build with Infobip: Automate alert flows, route high-risk cases to agents, and maintain compliant, encrypted messaging end to end

An example of a bank notifying a customer of suspicious transactions over WhatsApp.

Self-service contact info updates

40% of banks use WhatsApp to enable customers to update profiles:

• Let customers update email, phone, address, and communication preferences in chat. Confirm changes with OTP and log updates to CRM  
• Provide clear confirmation messages and audit history using utility templates  
• Build with Infobip: A chatbot solution and Flows for guided updates, customer data platform for profile management, API integrations to core banking for real-time sync

One-time passwords (OTPs)

46% of banks use WhatsApp to deliver OTPs: 

• Send OTPs for login, payments, and sensitive changes using authentication templates. WhatsApp offers secure delivery with verified sender and end-to-end encryption
• Combine OTP with session-based checks or biometrics depending on your risk model 
• Build with Infobip: OTP via WhatsApp API, template governance, analytics to monitor delivery and completion rates, and omnichannel fallback if needed

Implementation steps for banks

Step 1: Define goals and get set up

Choose priority use cases, KPIs, and markets. Align teams on compliance, data, and CX goals. 

Create your WhatsApp Business account with Infobip. We are an official WhatsApp Business Solution Provider and Meta partner, so we can properly guide your onboarding and approvals.

Step 2: Verify your business and secure approvals

Complete Meta Business Verification, set your display name, and configure a verified WhatsApp sender. 

Establish opt-in flows and template governance. Business-initiated messages require explicit consent and pre-approved templates across marketing, utility, and authentication categories.

Step 3: Integrate your stack

Connect core systems via API or Infobip apps:

• Chatbot builder for AI and automation. 
• Cloud contact center for live agent support and routing. 
• Customer engagement platform for journeys, campaigns, and reminders. 
• Customer Data Platform for unified customer profiles and segmentation

Sync CRM and core banking systems to personalize messages and enforce data policies and enable analytics to track delivery, reads, clicks, and conversions in one place.

Step 4: Design compliant flows and templates

Build WhatsApp Flows for guided tasks like onboarding, appointment booking, and self-service updates. Create template sets for each message type. Use: 

• Utility templates for statements, receipts, and payment reminders. 
• Marketing templates for product offers and campaigns. 
• Customer engagement platform for journeys, campaigns, and reminders. 
• Authentication templates for OTP and step-up verification
• Add entry points to boost opt-ins: QR codes, wa.me links, website buttons, and Click to WhatsApp ads.

Step 5: Launch, measure, and optimize 

Pilot with a limited audience. Validate consent capture, latency, and handoff to agents. 

Track KPIs per use case: containment rate, CSAT, cost per contact, payment completion, response time, and template approval success. 

Scale with A/B tests on copy and flows. Add language variants and omnichannel failover where needed.

Banks using WhatsApp to digitalize the customer journey

FAQs about WhatsApp banking