Bizum launched its own official app earlier this year which, for the first time since the platform’s launch, allowed to use its services outside of the banks’ official apps. At that time, it was only compatible with clients who had accounts in a few banking entities (BBVA, Kutxabank and Cajasur).
Some time later, that original app was removed from both the Play Store and the App Store (and today it is still inaccessible):
“[La app] was opened temporarily to get a number of users (bizutesters) with whom to test the app and the new features. Once we have enough users, we withdraw it from the markets to continue testing. “
Do youNew features? Yes, because Bizum is preparing its relaunch as an app focused on planning and managing expenses, including the possibility of create groups to share the amount of payments with friends.
Bizum intends to finish this year with 20 million users, and expand both internationally and offering new payment services
Social, non-financial functions
Share expenses with groups of friends (or with roommates, or with your partner, etc.) is an increasingly used and valued function and that alone justifies the existence of dozens of very popular mobile applications.
Now, Bizum intends to incorporate it into its app when be (re) released at some unspecified time next year, once the current test is finished.
Bizum makes it clear that This new app is not designed to “compete” with official bank apps, but as a mere “complement” to them; These will continue to allow you to use the same Bizum services that they have been offering up to now.
In fact, telematic payments (to businesses and individuals), as well as donations to NGOs, will continue for now to be made only from these apps, and not from the new independent one. Although, yes, they do not rule out doing the opposite … finish incorporating the new functionalities to the banking apps:
“[Se está realizando una] pilot test of new functionalities and services before their possible extension to the entire set of Bizum entities. These new functionalities or services are of a social nature, not financial, such as, for example, the creation of groups for payments and distribution of expenses “.
All these plans come when Bizum, launched in 2016 – and which reached its first million users in 2017 – is about to reach a milestone: that this is the first year to close with benefits, since the company has forecasts of earning more than one million euros in 2021. To this are added the 20 million users with those who trust to start 2022.