Meta (formerly Facebook) has extended the pilot for its Novi digital app to WhatsApp, using a stablecoin to enable participants to send and receive money from within chats.
Launched six weeks ago, the Novi pilot lets a small number of participants in Guatemala and the US to send money to their contacts internationally instantly, securely and fee-free, says Facebook.
The test uses the Pax Dollar - not the Facebook-backed Dim - for transactions, with Coinbase acting as the custody partner.
Participants had to use a dedicated Novi app but now the pilot is being extended to WhatsApp for a small number of US users, says Stephane Kasriel, who is taking over as Novi head from departing David Marcus.
Tweets Kasriel: "We often hear that people use WhatsApp to coordinate sending money to loved ones, and Novi enables people to do that securely, instantly and with no fees. Payments will appear directly in people’s chat."
To send money, users tap the paper clip icon on Android or the + sign on iOS, select "payment" and follow instructions to log into a Novi account.