Meta Platforms’ digital wallet Novi has opened a pilot programme allowing users to send and receive money on messaging app WhatsApp, its latest push around payments.
Novi’s chief Stephane Kasriel explained in a tweet a limited number of people in the US could now use the wallet through WhatsApp, claiming it would make sending money to family and friends as easy as sending a message. The move comes after six weeks of testing.
Kasriel added deployment was it still in the early stages, which is why it limited the initial rollout to US users before it looks to expand. The move will not impact the privacy of WhatsApp personal messages and calls.
Meta Platforms rebranded and revamped its initial digital wallet play from Calibra to Novi in May 2020, after facing opposition from regulators about its ambitions around cryptocurrencies.
Novi runs as a standalone app and allows users to make instant payments and transfers with no remittance costs. It uses a stablecoin, which has the equivalent exchange rate to the US dollar, rather than a cryptocurrency.
