Software major Zoho is preparing to make its consumer payments debut with Zoho Pay, a standalone digital payments app that will also be integrated into its homegrown chat platform, Arattai. The move positions Zoho in direct competition with established players such as Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm.
Sivaramakrishnan Iswaran, CEO of Zoho Payments Tech, told Moneycontrol that Zoho Pay will enable users to send and receive money, make secure transactions, and perform everyday payments through an intuitive and tightly integrated interface.
“Zoho Pay is designed to offer a smooth, secure, and integrated payment experience. It will be available both as a standalone app and within Arattai, allowing users to complete transactions without leaving their chat interface,” said Iswaran.
The integration with Arattai — Zoho’s in-house chat and collaboration app launched in 2021 — highlights the company’s intent to create a consumer ecosystem rooted in privacy and seamless functionality.
“Arattai is our consumer-facing platform that connects people and small businesses. Integrating Zoho Pay into it is a natural progression to enable meaningful transactions within those conversations,” Iswaran said.
Arattai, which emerged as a privacy-focused alternative to foreign messaging platforms, already supports group chats, video calls, and file sharing. The addition of in-chat payments could give Zoho an edge in blending communication with financial utility.
The launch of Zoho Pay marks a deeper push by Zoho into financial technology. The company already offers business payments and point-of-sale (POS) solutions and now plans to expand further into lending, broking, insurance, and wealthtech.
“Our approach to fintech is incremental. We’re starting with payments and gradually expanding into other financial services, while staying true to Zoho’s focus on organic, profitable growth,” Iswaran said.
The company’s upcoming fintech offerings include Zoho Billing, an invoicing and subscription management platform, and tighter integration of Zoho Payroll with banking systems. Together, these products form what Iswaran describes as an “interconnected financial stack” — one that helps users collect payments, manage cash flow, and automate payouts.
Zoho Pay is currently being tested internally and is expected to roll out in phases over the coming months. With this launch, Zoho aims to extend its long-held philosophy — building tools that serve both individuals and businesses — to the world of financial services.
“Zoho has always built products that serve both individuals and enterprises seamlessly. With Zoho Pay, we’re extending that philosophy to financial services,” said Iswaran.
If successful, Zoho could emerge as a serious contender in India’s competitive digital payments market — one that blends communication, commerce, and financial management into a single ecosystem.
