Facebook has officially entered the digital payments space with the launch of Facebook Pay in the US. The platform will allow users to make payments through Facebook and Messenger, and the company reports that Facebook Pay will also be extended to Instagram and WhatsApp in the future.
The Facebook Pay is currently available only in the USA. The payment service will be launched to Facebook and Messenger users this week.
The company has promised to expand Facebook Pay to more countries. And as noted on its website, the service will also come to Instagram and WhatsApp.
Currently, the platform allows users to pay for fundraising, in-game purchases, event tickets, private money transfers on Messenger and purchases from selected pages and businesses on the Facebook Marketplace.
According to Facebook, the new payment platform supports all major credit and debit cards, as well as PayPal. Payments are made to cooperation with companies like PayPal and Stripe. And in accordance with Facebook's payment terms, mobile phone billing will also be a way of payment on the platform.
The company says that Facebook Pay “is based on the existing financial infrastructure and partnerships and is separate from the Calibra wallet which will operate on the Libra network ”.
Facebook will not charge users when they send and receive money through Messenger. If you are under 18, you will not be able to use the peer-to-peer (P2P) payment service in Messenger. P2P should also not be used for commercial transactions. Facebook says it will discontinue payment services if it discovers such prohibited transactions.
How Safe is Facebook Pay?
When it comes to security and privacy, it's hard to trust a social media platform like Facebook to become a financial tool. However, Facebook assures users that the new platform is designed to “safe storing and encrypting your card and bank account numbers”.
The company says it uses tracking systems to scams, to detect unauthorized activity and provide alerts on account activity.
You will be able to add a PIN for payment via Facebook. Alternatively, you can also use fingerprint or face recognition to verify payments.
Facebook will provide live chat to users who have questions about their Facebook Pay transactions. Live chat will be available between 6: 00 AM and 6: 00 PM (PST).
