Facebook adds a ‘friend to friend’ payment option

While there are payment options available on leading social networking website Facebook, the company has decided to branch out that facility and present a brand new facility in which users will be able to transfer funds to each other as long two individuals are present in each other’s friend list. In order to do this, Facebook’s payment features works through Facebook Messenger, which in other terms, means that users will have to download and install the separate application on their iOS and Android devices to take advantage of it. Users can also use their desktop and/or laptop machines to complete the transactions.

If Facebook account owners are in possession of a Visa or MasterCard debit card, then all they have to do is tap the ‘$’ icon, and they will be able to send funds to their friends, irrespective of what platform they are using. What is even more convenient about this payment option is that no additional transaction fees will be deducted in order to complete the payment process, according to the information reported by a source. Facebook has stated that its Facebook Messenger payments will be coming to the US in the coming months.

The payment facility will not present a tedious process for users like other services do such as entering bank account and routing info details. However, those who are in possession of credit cards will not be able to carry out transactions because Facebook believes that it will result in extra charges, something which is against its new venture model. For added security, users will also be prompted to set an in-app payments passcode or use their Apple TouchID fingerprint scanner to confirm the transfers. They can change the way funds are transferred by navigating through the settings of the application.

While Facebook will never hold the funds hostage, it will still take receiver’s bank a few days to successfully place the funds in the desired account, which is considered to be standard procedure. After the transaction has been completed successfully, the receiver and the recipient will have a confirmation message detailing the transfer status and time in their Messenger inbox.