More And More Like WeChat? Facebook May Launch ‘Red Envelope' Payments Feature

Facebook may follow in the steps of China's messaging app WeChat and add a "red envelope" payments feature that will enable users to send money to others on its service, news site thepaper.cn reported.

The new feature still hasn't been officially tested, but was spotted by Matt Navarra, the director of social media at The Next Web.

Matt Navarra, the director of social media at The Next Web, shared screenshots of Facebook's "red envelope" feature on Twitter.

© Courtesy of Global Times

Navarra shared screenshots of the feature on his Twitter account on Nov. 3. "Pick an amount, choose a photo and write a personal message," reads the red envelope page. The amount of money that can be put inside the digital envelope ranges from $1 to $20.

The payment service, which can be done through bank cards, is currently unavailable, according to Navarra's post.

Matt Navarra, the director of social media at The Next Web, shared screenshots of Facebook's "red envelope" feature on Twitter.

© Courtesy of Global Times

Facebook has been vague about the feature, though did not deny its existence. The company confirmed to Recode, a technology website, that it constantly tests new products. As of press time, Facebook has not disclosed any details about the new function.

Matt Navarra, the director of social media at The Next Web, shared screenshots of Facebook's "red envelope" feature on Twitter.

© Courtesy of Global Times

Red envelopes are typically used for gift giving during holidays like the Spring Festival and the feature, if it becomes available, could facilitate Facebook's peer-to-peer payments, Recode said.

This article was originally published in the Global Times.