TikTok is reportedly developing in-app money transfers inside private messages

TikTok is reportedly working on a feature that would let users send money directly inside private messages without leaving the app. The move would expand the company’s push into financial services and follow the model used by apps such as Venmo.

Code analysis points to a simplified payment flow. A review of the current iOS version in the United States uncovered lines that describe a one-tap acceptance flow for incoming transfers, similar to the quick confirmation steps found in popular payment apps.

The project would rely on TikTok’s own payment system, TikTok Pay. The tool already operates in parts of Southeast Asia, mainly to settle purchases on TikTok Shop, the platform’s built-in marketplace. Adding peer-to-peer transfers inside chats would extend TikTok Pay’s role in the company’s broader financial ecosystem.

The company says it has not yet started user testing. A spokesperson told Bloomberg that TikTok is not currently testing the feature, indicating the project remains at an early concept or development stage. No timeline for a public rollout has been shared.

The push into money transfers is part of a wider push beyond short-form video. Earlier this year, Reuters reported that TikTok had applied to Brazil’s central bank for a license to operate as a fintech offering payments and credit. The app already hosts shopping, search, maps, games and hotel bookings, and direct private transfers would place it in closer competition with U.S. payment leaders such as Venmo and Zelle.

Reported by MamStartup.