'We do not want to be a monopoly ever': Sridhar Vembu’s Arattai takes on WhatsApp with UPI playbook

Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu has thrown down the gauntlet to closed messaging giants like WhatsApp, calling for open, interoperable platforms—and positioning his company’s surging app, Arattai, as the alternative India needs.

In a post on X, Vembu said Arattai is in early talks with iSpirt’s Sharad Sharma—the architect behind UPI’s tech backbone—to publish and standardize the app’s messaging protocols. "These systems need to be interoperable like UPI and email and not closed like WhatsApp today," Vembu wrote, adding, “We do not want to be a monopoly ever.”

Vembu called Sharma a “good friend” and pledged that Zoho will work closely with iSpirt to align Arattai’s architecture with open, India-first digital infrastructure. “I am a huge fan of UPI and hugely respect the work the team did,” he added.

The comments come as Arattai experiences a sudden and staggering spike in adoption—from 3,000 daily sign-ups to 350,000 in just three days—fueled by government endorsements, viral support on social media, and its strong privacy pitch. Indian users are already calling it a “WhatsApp killer,” touting the app’s promise of being spyware-free and committed to digital sovereignty.

Originally launched quietly in 2021, Arattai—Tamil for “casual chat”—is now grabbing national attention. It offers encrypted messaging, file sharing, audio-video calls, and even Android TV integration. But its real differentiator is Zoho’s public stand on privacy: no data monetization, no backdoors.

In a space long dominated by Meta’s closed ecosystem, Vembu’s call for UPI-style openness could redefine India’s messaging future. “We are committed to that goal and we will work with iSpirt to make this happen,” he said.