Telegram adds new features for payments and Voice Chats in latest update

What you need to know

• Telegram just received a significant update on Windows, iOS, and Android.
• The update allows merchants to accept credit card payments in any chat.
• Voice Chats can now be scheduled and show a countdown until they start.

Telegram just received a major update on all major platforms, including Windows, iOS, and Android. The most notable addition is Payments 2.0, which allows retailers to natively accept credit card payments within any chat on the platform. The update also adds new features for Voice Chats. If you prefer using Telegram on the web, there are now two new Telegram versions on the web, Telegram Web K and Telegram Web Z.

Payments 2.0 is the biggest change in this update. Previously, Telegram supported payment bots, which let you pay for certain goods without leaving the app. Payments 2.0 lets merchants natively accept credit card payments within any chat.

There are eight supported payment methods within Telegram; Stripe, Yandex.Mney, Sberbank, Tranzoo, Payme, CLICK, LiqPay, and ECOMMPAY. The update also allows you to make payments from any Telegram app, including Telegram for Windows. Telegram doesn't take a commission on payments.

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Voice Chats, which are Telegram's answer to Clubhouse, also received several improvements in this update. You can now schedule a Voice Chat in advance. People will see a countdown showing when a Voice Chat will start and choose to receive a notification when it begins.

Telegram now supports expanding profile pictures and bios without leaving the voice chat window. This should make it much easier to find out more information about people within a Voice Chat without having to hop around the app.

Many people have switched to Telegram lately. New and old users should appreciate the new functionality available on the platform. If you're on iOS or Android, you can read Telegram's blog post to read about the new features on each platform.