Facebook today announced a new feature for its Facebook Messenger app for iOS -- money transfers. It's now possible for Facebook Messenger users to send and receive money right within the app, letting Facebook compete with other money sending services like Venmo and Paypal.

The new money sending feature is free to use. Sending a friend a payment can be done by tapping the "$" icon located on top of the keyboard, which is also where stickers are accessed and photos are inserted. After tapping the icon, enter the amount to send, tap "Pay" in the top right corner of the app, and add a debit card (Visa or MasterCard) to make the payment.



Receiving money can be done by opening the conversation from the friend who sent the money and adding a debit card to accept the money. Funds are transferred immediately when sent through the app, but it can take one to three business days for the money to be made available.

Facebook says that it uses multiple layers of software and hardware to protect its payment systems, and on iOS, the app can be secured with Touch ID.

According to Facebook, the new money sending feature will be rolling out over the coming months in the United States. The Facebook Messenger app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [ Direct Link