Cash App adds payment links so you can get paid in a DM

It’s already quite easy to use Cash App. However, on Wednesday, the payment platform owned by Block, Inc. introduced a new feature designed to make its user experience significantly easier: payment links.

The feature allows app users to send payments via a hyperlink that can be attached to a variety of communications.

Users can access the links by taking the typical steps in Cash App’s payment tab, but instead of clicking “add recipient,” the user now has the option to click “share link.” Choosing this will create a link that can subsequently be added to texts, emails, and DMs as a payment request. The recipient clicks the link, which preloads the requested payment amount, allowing the transaction to be facilitated quickly.

Cash App says that the links can be used for recurring payments as well as group payments.

Cash App introduced the new feature after surveying Gen-Z users and finding that it was common for multiple communications to occur around payments. The links are designed to alleviate any social awkwardness that may accompany those communications while also making payments more direct.

“Payment links make moving money even more seamless, but just as importantly, they make the task of requesting money feel more human and less awkward,” said Kristen Anderson, P2P & Networks Product Lead at Cash App. “We’ve heard from our customers that sending in-app payment requests and push notifications can sometimes come across as overly formal or even passive-aggressive. Payment links solve this by allowing customers to send requests through whichever platform feels most natural so that they can add context, levity, or humor to the conversation.” 

Cash App has added a number of new features lately, including an AI chatbot that debuted late last year and is designed to advise users on their finances, as well as a new benefits program with a high-borrowing limit.