Signal come WhatsApp: primi test per i pagamenti

Anche la piattaforma di messaggistica più amata da chi tiene alla privacy ha iniziato ufficialmente la sperimentazione dei pagamenti tra utenti: ecco come funzionano.

Signal è una delle alternative a WhatsApp più convincenti, soprattutto perché è l’app di messaggistica che raccoglie meno dati in assoluto dallo smartphone dell’utente. Per questo motivo Signal è l’app di chat ideale per gli amanti della privacy e, per lo stesso motivo, è molto interessante il fatto che abbia iniziato ufficialmente la sperimentazione su una nuova funzione: i pagamenti e l’invio di denaro tra utenti.

Come sempre accade per le funzioni sperimentali, non solo su Signal ma anche su WhatsApp, Telegram e moltissime altre app, i test vengono al momento condotti solo tra gli utenti che hanno aderito al beta program. Cioè quelli che usano le app beta, non quelle ufficiali stabili per il grande pubblico. Signal has addressed these users with a post on its blog asking them to "Help us test pagamants inside Signal". The same post also explains how these payments will work and, most importantly, that they will be based on a cryptocurrency: MobileCoin (MOB). The approach to payments chosen by Signal, therefore, is very different from that chosen by WhatsApp and Facebook.

How payments work on Signal

In full consistency with the philosophy of the messaging app, payments on Signal will be fast, private and smartphone-centric. In order to maintain security and privacy, it has been decided to start testing only with the MobileCoin cryptocurrency.

The user must therefore have a wallet with this currency and so must all those who wish to receive the money. At first, therefore, Signal will not manage the transactions but the MobileCoin platform.

From the Signal app, however, it will be possible to keep track of all incoming and outgoing MOB movements. Signal, however, will not have access to the MobileCoin wallet nor will it be able to learn about other transactions in this virtual currency made outside of the app.

Testing of payments on Signal will begin in the UK, and then expand to other countries as Signal receives feedback from its users.

Payments on WhatsApp: where we are

Signal is by no means the first instant messaging platform to experiment with payments between users: WhatsApp has been testing them since last year, but only in India and Brazil.

Unlike Signal, which only allows payments in cryptocurrency and through the MobileCoin platform, WhatsApp has chosen instead to use the local currencies of these two countries and rely on normal banking circuits. Remains still in the background, however, the big project of the Facebook group: to launch globally Diem (formerly Libra), a cryptocurrency managed directly by Facebook.