Facebook Planning Money Transfer Service In Europe

Mark Zuckerberg apparently wants to be both your social director and your banker. According to a report from Financial Times, Facebook is weeks away from receiving regulatory approval from Ireland’s central bank to be a recognized e-money institution. This status would allow people to store funds on Facebook and use them to transfer and make payments to others. The capability would be valid throughout Europe.

Analysts see the move as an attempt by Facebook to become a broader service, especially in emerging markets. But conceivably it also positions Facebook to be an m-payments provider. According to Ovum’s m-payments expert Eden Zoller, “[Facebook’s] focus on mobile money transfers makes sense. These applications are gaining good traction with consumers, particularly in emerging markets where Facebook has ambitions to be the prime platform from which people access and interact with Internet services.” The company has a user base of over 200 million in Asia.

Still, entrusting a social network with one’s money is a different matter. Zoller cites Ovum research that showed only 1% of consumers surveys trusted Facebook with m-payments, while banks were trusted by 43%. Previous m-payment schemes from Facebook, namely Facebook Credits and Facebook Gifts, have met with a tepid response.  

2 comments about "Facebook Planning Money Transfer Service In Europe".
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  1. Jull Sanders from MO Team, April 14, 2014 at 5:40 p.m.

    I am sure the great popularity of FB will serve it's service and the idea to use it as a m-payments provider can be quite successful. I am also sure still some kind of service providing quick loans online integrated into Facebook can also gain popularity in course of the time.

  2. Paula Lynn from Who Else Unlimited, April 16, 2014 at 4:58 a.m.

    Jull, your comment will make fbeast reek even more from the collection business, not to mention another way people will overextend themselves a lot easier than they do now. How long before fbeast will host on-line gambling? And talk about mess. Who ya' gonna' talk to about errors and payoffs ? Any interest controls ? And if anyone thinks that 10's/100's millions of people are not gullible for scams and spams, then you are having trouble collecting rent from you swamp land on the George Washington Bridge.

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