Meta’s WhatsApp is testing a groundbreaking cross-platform messaging feature that would allow users in Europe to send messages to people on other apps, including India’s homegrown messenger Arattai, without leaving WhatsApp. This move responds directly to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), a regulation designed to break Big Tech monopolies by mandating interoperability between dominant messaging platforms and third-party services.

For now, the feature is limited to beta testers in Europe and only supports one third-party app, BirdyChat. However, Meta has opened the door for other developers, including Arattai, to integrate if they meet WhatsApp’s stringent end-to-end encryption standards, ensuring user privacy and security. Arattai, developed by Chennai-based Zoho, is working on implementing end-to-end encryption for messages—a key hurdle it must clear to qualify for the integration.

The timing of WhatsApp’s test aligns with Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu’s public advocacy for open, interoperable messaging standards akin to India’s UPI system. Vembu has stressed that messaging platforms should not operate as closed monopolies but allow seamless communication across apps. While Arattai experienced a surge in downloads after its October launch, its growth has slowed, partly due to the lack of message encryption and the dominance of WhatsApp.

Currently, WhatsApp’s cross-app messaging remains confined to Europe for regulatory compliance. There is no official word on whether or when this feature might roll out globally, including in India, WhatsApp’s largest market. But this experiment sets an important precedent for messaging interoperability, hinting at a future where users can communicate seamlessly across platforms while maintaining privacy and security.