Facebook payments are coming to Europe

Facebook has quietly secured an e-payments license from the Central Bank of Ireland, signalling that the ability to pay people through the Messenger app (already available in the US) could soon be coming to Europe, TechCrunch reports.

The Central Bank of Ireland's register shows that the license was authorised to Facebook Payments International Limited (FBPIL) in October for "e-money issuance" and "payment services." FBPIL confirmed the approval of the European license to TechCrunch.

As a member of the European Union, passporting rights mean that the Irish license would apply throughout the other 27 EU member states.

What is not known, is how exactly the license will be used, though François Briod, the founder of money transfer comparison site Monito, told TechCrunch: "In the short term, it means that Facebook Messenger will be able to roll out its peer-to-peer payment features in Europe."

Currently, the payment service only works in the US. It lets you sending money to friends via the Messenger app, a feature which it has recently been promoting. It has been reported that the social network will soon be adding payments to businesses, as well as friends, via the app.