Cash App adds payment links to reduce social friction

On Wednesday, Cash App, the payment platform owned by Block, Inc., introduced a new feature called payment links. The feature allows users to send payments via a hyperlink that can be attached to various communications, including text messages, emails, and direct messages. To use the feature, users navigate to the payment tab within Cash App and enter the desired transaction details. Instead of proceeding to add a specific recipient, they can select the option to share a link. Choosing this option generates a unique hyperlink that can be copied and pasted directly into text messages, emails, or direct messages on social media platforms. When the recipient clicks the shared link, it automatically preloads the requested payment amount, allowing them to complete the transaction quickly. According to Cash App, these payment links can be used for both recurring payments and group payments.

The company introduced the feature after surveying Gen Z users regarding how they communicate about payments. The survey found 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. This allows users to bypass the standard in-app request system when communicating about shared expenses. The platform’s product team explained that the feature was designed to address specific social friction in peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions, noting that while the links make moving money more seamless, they also make the task of requesting money feel more human and less awkward.

“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,” said Kristen Anderson, P2P & Networks Product Lead at Cash App. The addition of payment links follows other recent feature rollouts from the platform, including an AI chatbot that debuted late last year to advise users on their finances.

Why it matters

By shifting payment requests from rigid in-app notifications to flexible links, Cash App is attempting to reduce the social friction and awkwardness often associated with peer-to-peer money transfers.