A report by The Information reveals Facebook’s Messenger could rival offline payment services offered by Apple, Google and Samsung.

The code for the iOS version of the chat app supports a number of potential new features, including one which would enable users to make in-store purchases, or purchase items and then collect afterwards.

Messenger currently offers P2P money transfer for US users.

A widening of its payments capability should not be much of a surprise given the 2014 headhunting of PayPal CEO, David Marcus, a highly regarded payments industry executive, to head Facebook Messenger.

Given Marcus’s appointment, it has always been likely that the social media giant’s plans would go beyond money transfer.

Other new features hinted at in the software include “secret conversations,” a possible reference to encrypted chats; and the ability to sync calendars and share content and status updates to a select group of friends.