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, a method includes receiving first payment data and a first identifier of a first user, wherein the first payment data is linked to the first identifier and stored in a datastore of the payment service and in association with a first user account of the payment service; receiving, second payment data and a second identifier of a second user, wherein the second payment data is linked to the second identifier and stored in the datastore and in association with a second user account of the payment service; receiving a request for a near-instantaneous transfer of a payment for a transaction between the first user and the second user, the request including the first identifier; and in response to receiving the request, identifying the first user account and the second user account; and causing the near-instantaneous transfer of the payment to a financial account of the first user.

Abstract: This disclosure generally relates to a method for authenticating a user in a digital or physical environment. The method includes receiving an identity verification request based on input provided by a user to be verified, receiving a facial and audio recognition sample from the user, transmitting the facial and audio recognition sample to one or more third party entities with a request to verify that the facial and audio recognition sample represents the user, receiving an indication from at least one of the third party entities that the user is verified, and verifying that the user who provided the facial and audio recognition sample is the person the user purports to be.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method enrolling, by a payment service system and in a data store maintained by the payment service system, a payment service account associated with a payee for a direct payout program for transactions associated with a transaction facilitation service between a plurality of payers and the payee in response to requests associated with the transaction facilitation service. The method includes receiving a transaction request for a payment associated with a transaction between a payer and the payee. The method includes identifying a financial account of the payee based on retrieving an association of the payment service account with the payee identifier and the financial account. The method includes causing a transfer of a first amount of funds to the financial account and a second amount to the transaction facilitation service. The first amount of funds and the second amount of funds correspond to the transaction 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: This disclosure generally relates to a system for authenticating a user in a digital or physical environment. The system includes an electronic device associated with the user and receiving verification information from the user. The system further includes a server computer, connected to the electronic device, the server computer including the verification information about the user. The electronic device receives the verification information about the user and provides it to the server computer for comparison. The server computer verifies the user based on the verification information about the user received from the electronic device.

Abstract: Techniques disclosed include systems and methods including, in association with a transaction between a first payer and a payee, determining a second payer that is associated with the transaction. Techniques include receiving specification of a portion of a payment amount associated with the transaction to be requested from the second payer. Techniques include, upon receiving an indication from the first payer to request payment of the portion of the payment amount from the second payer, transmitting an identifier associated with the second payer and the specified portion of the payment amount to a remote server. The remote server can be configured to transmit a request to a second mobile device associated with the second payer to permit a transfer of the portion of the payment amount from the financial account of the second payer in association with the transaction.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for facilitating customers' mobile devices to conduct proximity-based payments to reduce the friction of conducting payments from one party to another. In some embodiments, a customer's mobile device can detect another mobile device that is in proximity. For example, the detected device may be in the same wireless personal area network as the customer's device. The customer's device can transmit to a payment service system server (PSS) an identifier identifying the other mobile device that it receives from the other mobile device that is in proximity. The customer's device can receive identification information about the user of the other device from the PSS. When the customer confirms sending a payment to the other user, the PSS facilitates a transfer of a payment amount between a financial account of the customer and a financial account of the user of the other device.

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 particular embodiments, a method of transferring money by use of a payment proxy includes receiving a notification of an intent to initiate a monetary transaction in a message entered by a user of a communication platform, identified based on a determination of a particular context associated with content of the message. The method includes parsing the message to identify a unique payment proxy associated with a financial account having a syntax that includes a currency indicator and a string of characters. The method includes identifying a recipient financial account associated with the unique payment proxy. The method includes identifying a sender financial account based on the particular context associated with the content of the user message. The method includes initiating a transfer of a payment amount between the sender financial account and the recipient financial account associated with the unique payment proxy in accordance with the monetary transaction.

Abstract: This disclosure generally relates to a system for authenticating a user in a digital or physical environment. The system includes an electronic device associated with the user and receiving verification information from the user. The system further includes a server computer, connected to the electronic device, the server computer including the verification information about the user. The electronic device receives the verification information about the user and provides it to the server computer for comparison. The server computer verifies the user based on the verification information about the user received from the electronic device.

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 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 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: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for real-time provisioning of new payment card numbers to users of a payment-service system, wherein the new payment card numbers are issued to users without activation or registration. By issuing payment card numbers in real-time and without registration, these systems and methods can provide a relatively frictionless experience for users. As such, these systems and methods can issue more payment card numbers, increase market penetration and use of the payment card numbers because the systems and methods are relatively efficient to use compared with prior methods of issuing payment card numbers.

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.