Once upon a time, you would hand your friends paper and coins anytime they needed cash. These days, it is more difficult –if your friends are anything like mine, they lack a functioning debit machine attached to their bodies somehow; this means we need to be more modern about the way we send and receive money. Many apps and services have stepped up to make this an easy task, not the least of which is Facebook. In the coming months (at least for those of you in the USA), Facebook Messenger will roll out the ability to transfer funds using your debit card to the people you are chatting with.
Oh… it’s also going to be free!
Facebook describes how simple it will be to use this new feature:
To send money:
Start a message with a friend
Tap the $ icon and enter the amount you want to send
Tap Pay in the top right and add your debit card to send moneyTo receive money:
Open the conversation from your friend
Tap Add Card in the message and add your debit card to accept money for the first time
The transfer is completed instantly (though there may be delays depending on your bank).
It may seem like an unusual service for Facebook to provide, but the social media giant is actually no stranger to processing payments (having done so for gamers and advertisers since 2007).
Jillian Koskie is an experienced software developer, content writer, project manager and usability design expert. With over 17 years in these roles, Jillian has enjoyed applying her skill-set to assist clients and users across a wide variety of sectors including: legal, health, and financial services. Combining these professional opportunities with a love of technology, Jillian is pleased to contribute articles, opinions, and advice to numerous news outlets, websites, and publications.