Barclays will be the first British bank to allow its customers to make payments using their Twitter handle. The service, powered by its Pingit mobile phone app, aims to give the country’s 13.5 million Twitter users the ability to make swift, secure payments through the social network without providing either their bank details or a phone number. All Pingit users can take advantage of the service, regardless of whether they bank with Barclays, by linking their Twitter account to their Pingit profile under the app’s settings menu. The service will be available on both Android phones and iOS devices. Once signed up, payments to friends, family and small businesses can be completed in three separate clicks. The payment limit per day is £1,500. Launched in 2012, Pingit has to date received 3.7 million downloads and more than £1billion has been sent using the app.
