WeChat,a Tencent-backed popular messaging application that boasts half a billion users, will start to charge individual users to transfer money from the app's digital wallet service to their personal bank accounts.
由腾讯公司推出的即时通讯应用、目前已拥有5亿用户的微信平台,将开始向个人用户收取从微信钱包提现至个人银行账户的相关费用。
WeChat said on Monday that it will start to charge a fee of 0.1 percent for each transfer from its digital wallet service called WeChat Wallet to users' personal bank accounts from March 1. The minimum charge for each transfer is 0.1 yuan.
本周一,微信方面宣布自3月1日起,从微信钱包提现至银行账户将收取费用,而收费额度按照提现金额的0.1%执行,且每笔至少收取0.1元。
But each individual user is still allowed to transfer up to 1,000 yuan ($154) for free from March 1.
但是自3月1日起,每位用户仍可享受最高1000元(约154美金)的免费提现额度。
WeChat said the new move isn't meant to make profits but to cover the charges banks impose on transactions.
微信方面表示,提现交易收费并非微信支付追求营收之举,而是用于支付银行手续费。
"WeChat has been covering the cost for users. With the growth of our businesses, the cost rises rapidly, making it difficult for WeChat to shoulder it anymore," WeChat said in a statement.
微信在一份声明中说道,“以前一直都是微信自己支付交易手续费,但随着业务的增长,成本快速上升,使得微信无法继续承担这笔费用。”
The move is expected to help encourage WeChat users to use the digital wallet service to pay online and offline rather than transferring money to their bank accounts.
据悉,此举有可能是想刺激微信用户使用电子钱包进行线上和线下支付业务,而不鼓励提现业务。
According to WeChat, it has partnered with brick-and-mortar businesses across the country, including more than 100,000 brick-and-mortar stores, more than 80,000 restaurants and 600 parking lots.
据微信表示,它已和包括100000多家实体店,80000多家餐厅和600多个停车场等在内的遍布全国的实体商家进行了相关的合作。