Facebook shutters Messenger payments in UK as Brits just not into it

Facebook introduced the feature to its Messenger to enable people to transfer money to their friends in a few clicks. It was first launched in the US in 2015 and then in the UK in 2017.

But Facebook is closing down the service in the UK as well as France from June.

A statement from the company said: “We are terminating the ability to send and receive payments in Messenger in both the UK and France effective June 15. After evaluating how we give people the best experiences in Messenger, we made the decision to focus our efforts on experiences that people find most useful. Users have been notified in preparation for this change.”

When it was introduced Facebook said: “We’re adding a new feature in Messenger that gives people a more convenient and secure way to send or receive money between friends. It’s easy and free.”

To send money, users just start a message with a friend, tap the dollar icon and enter the amount they want to send. They then tap “Pay” and add debit card details.