Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a payment service system (PSS), a payment request from a payment application executing on a device of a sender. The payment request includes a recipient identifier corresponding to a recipient. The sender and recipient have financial accounts associated with the PSS. The method includes determining a similarity score based on a comparison of contact records associated with the device of the sender and contact records associated with a device of the recipient. The method includes, responsive to determining that the similarity score does not satisfy a threshold similarity score, transmitting a confirmation request to the device of the sender to confirm an identity of the recipient. The method includes receiving, from the device of the sender, an approval response to the confirmation request. The method includes, authorizing a payment transaction associated with the payment request based on the approval response.

Abstract: In some examples, a system and method for generating a payment instrument are described. The method includes receiving a unique signature that a recipient intends to associate with the payment instrument; verifying that the received feature meets an acceptability criterion; generating a representation of the received signature, wherein the representation is in a form capable of being physically associated with the payment instrument, and wherein association is established by embedding or exposing the representation on the payment instrument; and causing physical generation of the payment instrument having associated therewith the representation of the signature.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a payment service system (PSS), a payment request from a payment application executing on a device of a sender. The payment request includes a recipient identifier corresponding to a recipient. The sender and recipient have financial accounts associated with the PSS. The method includes determining a similarity score based on a comparison of contact records associated with the device of the sender and contact records associated with a device of the recipient. The method includes, responsive to determining that the similarity score does not satisfy a threshold similarity score, transmitting a confirmation request to the device of the sender to confirm an identity of the recipient. The method includes receiving, from the device of the sender, an approval response to the confirmation request. The method includes, authorizing a payment transaction associated with the payment request based on the approval response.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a payment service system-implemented method of assigning payment card numbers for individual user accounts associated with the payment service system includes receiving payment card numbers activated by a third-party server that are unassigned to accounts registered. The method includes receiving a first transaction authorization request for one of the payment card numbers and denying the request, without notifying the third-party server, based on the number being unregistered with the payment service system. The method includes receiving, via an executable application, a request to register a user account for a payment service system user, and in response, generating a record assigning the payment card number to the user account.

Abstract: In some examples, a system receives a request to associate a user-defined payment proxy with a financial account of a first user. The payment proxy has a syntax including a symbol followed by a string of characters. The system may generate a webpage in which the user-defined payment proxy is included in the URL of the webpage. The system may detect the payment proxy in a message associated with a second user, and may cause the webpage to be displayed on the device of the second user, including an entry field for receiving a payment amount to transfer to the first user. Based on identifying the financial account of the first user at least based on the payment proxy included in the URL of the webpage, the system initiates a transfer of the payment amount to the financial account of the first user.

Abstract: In one aspect, a mobile device includes a secure subsystem configured to provide access to one or more of personal identifying information of a user of the mobile device and secure elements of the mobile device to applications native to an operating system of the mobile device and one or more third-party applications that are not native to the operating system of the mobile device. The mobile device further includes a normal subsystem in which third-party applications other than the one or more third-party applications operate, and a third-party payment processing application configured to operate in one of the secure subsystem or the normal subsystem, receive a request for authenticating a user for processing a transaction, access one or more of the secure elements of the mobile device for authenticating the user, and authenticate the user for processing the transaction using the one or more of the secure elements.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a payment service system may receive a request to split a bill between two or more peer users. The request may include information identifying at least the two or more peer users and an amount of the bill to be split. The two or more peer users may be identified based on determining a presence of two or more mobile devices that are respectively associated with the two or more peer users. The payment service system may send a payment request to each mobile device associated with the two or more peer users. The payment service system may receive a response, which may indicate the respective user's approval of a specified amount for payment of a portion of the bill associated with the user. The payment service system may cause a funds transfer based on specified amounts approved by the two or more peer users.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a payment service system-implemented method of assigning payment card numbers for individual user accounts associated with the payment service system includes receiving a request, in the context of an authorization for a payment transaction, to assign a payment card number to a user account associated with a user of the payment service system. The method includes retrieving, from a database associated with the payment service system, an account record associated with the user account. The method includes determining that the user account is not associated with an active payment card number. The method includes identifying an unassigned payment card number and modifying the account record to assign the unassigned payment card number to the user account as an active payment card number. The method includes authorizing the payment transaction using the active payment card number, causing a modification to an account balance of the user account.

Abstract: In some examples, a system generates an identifier for association with a user financial account. The identifier may have a syntax including a currency indicator and a string including one or more characters concatenated together such that the currency indicator appears immediately before the string. The system generates a user-defined identifier and maps, in a database, the user-defined identifier to the user financial account. The system receives a message indicating an intent to transfer funds from a sending user to a receiving user. The message may include the user-defined identifier in lieu of account information of the user financial account, to identify the user as the receiving user. The system parses the message to identify the user-defined identifier and accesses the account information of the user financial account using the identifier. The system initiates a transfer of funds from the sending user account to the user financial account.

Abstract: In one embodiment, techniques include systems and methods for facilitating context-aware peer-to-peer transfers of items utilizing at least one of short-range wireless technologies embodied by user devices or device-accessible contact lists. After receiving a request to transfer an item, a server can cause a device of a first peer user to detect devices of second peer users in the proximity of the device of the first peer user using short-range wireless technology. Based at least in part on the detected nearby devices or a contact list of the first peer user stored by the device of the first peer user, a second peer user to receive the item is determined. Upon receiving confirmation of authorization to transfer the item, requested and provided via an electronic message between the respective devices and the server, the item is disassociated from the first peer user and associated with the second peer user.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method includes receiving, from a sender device, a request to initiate a transfer of an asset to a recipient; causing a user interface to be presented on the sender device to receive an input of an amount of the asset to be transferred; causing an indication of the transfer of the asset to be presented via the user interface in association with a graphical icon representing a gift wrapping that conceals at least some information regarding a payload associated with the transfer; associating the graphical icon with the payload to generate a gift-wrapped element that includes the amount and the information regarding the payload; causing a notification to be sent to a recipient device of the recipient that includes the gift wrapped element; and causing assets in the amount to be withdrawn from an account of the sender and transferred to an account of the recipient.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a payment server and from a messaging application executing on a first mobile device operated by a first user, a request to initiate a payment transaction using a payment application. The request includes a payment amount and an identifier associated with the first user. The method includes facilitating a first adjustment to a balance associated with the financial account of the first user in the data store identified based on the identifier. The method includes generating a link associated with the first adjustment and transmitting the link to the first mobile device. The method includes, upon receiving from a second user operating a messaging application, an indication that the second user has interacted with the link within the messaging application, facilitating a second adjustment of a balance of a financial account of the second user according to the payment amount.

Abstract: In some examples, a system and method for activating a physical payment card are described. The method includes receiving from a mobile device of a user a request for a physical payment card and first state data indicating a state of the mobile device or an application executing on the mobile device at a time of the request. The physical payment card is mailed to the user. The mobile device reads an identifier on a surface of the container via a sensor of the mobile device and sends the identifier data and a second state data from the time of the reading. The identifier data is compared to a user identifier in a customer profile of the user and the second state data is determined to correspond to the first state data. The physical payment card is then automatically activated.

Abstract: A payment service system receives a transaction instrument identifier of a transaction instrument, and associates the transaction instrument with an account associated with a first user. The system identifies rules that identify whether to request authorization from a second user to process respective transactions that involve the transaction instrument and that are associated with one of a set of transaction types. The system receives a transaction indication indicating a request to use the transaction instrument for a transaction. The system determines, based on information about the transaction and the one or more rules, that the transaction is categorized into a first transaction type. The rules indicate that the authorization from the second user is to be requested for the first transaction type. The system receives an authorization to process the transaction from a user device associated with the second user, and automatically facilitates processing of the transaction.

Abstract: A payment service generates multiple user profiles, each profile associated with a different user. Each user profile may be linked to multiple transaction cards and multiple numerical balances. Multiple transaction cards can be linked to a same numerical balance—even if the cards are from different user profiles. Restrictions, such as transaction type blacklists and whitelists or parent/guardian permission relationships, can be placed on particular numerical balances, or on access to particular numerical balances by particular cards. Numerical balances and transactions using particular cards may be tracked using user profiles with access to those cards and numerical balances.

Abstract: In some examples, a system generates an identifier for association with a user financial account. The identifier may have a syntax including a currency indicator and a string including one or more characters concatenated together such that the currency indicator appears immediately before the string. The system generates a user-defined identifier and maps, in a database, the user-defined identifier to the user financial account. The system receives a message indicating an intent to transfer funds from a sending user to a receiving user. The message may include the user-defined identifier in lieu of account information of the user financial account, to identify the user as the receiving user. The system parses the message to identify the user-defined identifier and accesses the account information of the user financial account using the identifier. The system initiates a transfer of funds from the sending user account to the user financial account.

Abstract: In one embodiment, techniques include systems and methods for facilitating context-aware peer-to-peer transfers of items utilizing at least one of short-range wireless technologies embodied by user devices or device-accessible contact lists. After receiving a request to transfer an item, a server can cause a device of a first peer user to detect devices of second peer users in the proximity of the device of the first peer user using short-range wireless technology. Based at least in part on the detected nearby devices or a contact list of the first peer user stored by the device of the first peer user, a second peer user to receive the item is determined. Upon receiving confirmation of authorization to transfer the item, requested and provided via an electronic message between the respective devices and the server, the item is disassociated from the first peer user and associated with the second peer user.