TikTok is considering going beyond short video. After TikTok Shop became an important part of the ecosystem, the company is preparing another move that has drawn attention: a system through which we could send each other money directly in private messages.
Payments as easy as sending a message
As Bloomberg reports, the code for the U.S. version of TikTok on iPhone already contains references to a payment system in DMs. The system would be based on the current TikTok Pay, already available in Southeast Asia, and would allow sending money with a single tap, adding a message to it.
The feature is, from what we know, at an early stage of development and stands out because of its similarity to Venmo or Zelle, but that’s not all. Sending money within a social network is something that needs to be approached very carefully. Financial scams, many of them through direct messages or posts, spread easily on social media.
So making it so that, after seeing a scam post, making a payment is as easy as tapping the message button on that post is something that needs very careful consideration.
Even so, the idea fits very well with a platform whose algorithm drives sales at breakneck speed. Its ease of use is certainly compelling , but there are valid arguments on both sides. For now we’ll have to wait for the final rollout, if it ever happens, to assess the system. Meanwhile, alongside X and the like, we can add TikTok to our list of services interested in peer-to-peer payments.
