Braintree has added a new feature to its Venmo payment app that helps users needing to share a bar bill or the price of a meal.

The update enables a user of the Venmo app to detect other users nearby via Bluetooth and then transfer a payment to them, according to 9to5mac.

The second user does not need to be an existing ‘friend’ on Venmo, so enabling the sharing of a joint bill with a casual acquaintance, for instance.

Previously it was necessary to be an existing friend with another user on Venmo to transfer a payment.

The update for proximity payments became available this month to the iOS 7 version of the app.

Venmo was originally a developer acquired in 2012 by Braintree which was subsequently itself acquired by PayPal last year.