US-based social media giant, Meta is starting to test out a new “Split Payments” feature in Facebook Messenger, that allows users to share the cost of bills and expenses through the app.
With the new feature, users can ask for money from people right in a group chat and see who has paid their portion of the request. The new feature is a “free and fast” way to handle finances through the messaging service. Initially, the new feature will be rolled out for US users.
To use Split Payments, users need to click on the “Get Started” button in a group chat or the Payments Hub in Messenger. From there, they can split a bill evenly or modify the contribution amount for each individual in the group chat. The users will also have the option to enter a personalized message.
“If you’ve struggled with dividing up (and getting paid back for) group dinners, shared household expenses or even the monthly rent, it’s about to get easier,” the company said in a blog post about the new feature.
The launch of Split Payments comes as Messenger added Venmo-like QR codes for person-to-person payments a few months ago. The codes launched in the US and allow anyone to send or request money through Facebook Pay, even if they’re not Facebook friends. The feature can be accessed under the “Facebook Pay” section in Messenger’s settings.
Split Payments was introduced alongside a few other Messenger updates, including four new group AR effects. The company notes that it also recently launched two new “Stranger Things” Soundmojis, which are emojis that play a sound when the user send them within Messenger, and a new chat theme.
