Apple Pay makes sending and receiving money with friends and family as simple as sending a message.

Beginning today, Apple customers (iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch owners) in the US can use Apple Pay to send and receive money with friends and family quickly.

Apple customers already use iMessage to communicate with friends and family, and now they can get paid right within those everyday conversations, or by just asking Siri to pay someone. They can use the debit and credit cards they already have added to Apple Pay, so there's no need to install an app or create yet another account.

There's no need to install an app or create a new account to send and receive money with Apple Pay. When users get paid, the money they receive is added to their new Apple Pay Cash card that lives in the Wallet app. They can use the money instantly to pay someone or make purchases using Apple Pay in stores, apps and on the web. They can also choose to transfer it from Apple Pay Cash to their bank account.

iOS 11.2 is available now as a free update and is required to make person to person payments and use Apple Pay Cash on iPhone and iPad. watchOS 4.2 will be available as a free update and is required to send and receive money and use Apple Pay Cash on any Apple Watch model.

Apple customers who don't already have Apple Pay set up on their supported device can still receive money from friends and family without needing to install a new app or add a card to Wallet. When new users receive money for the first time, it's simply added to their new Apple Pay Cash card once they accept the terms.

Users can also view their transaction history, including person to person payments as well as purchases they've made in stores, apps and on the web with Apple Pay Cash, right in Wallet.

Each person to person payment and purchase made with Apple Pay Cash is authenticated with Face ID on iPhone X, Touch ID on other iPhone and iPad models or a secure passcode on Apple Watch.

Person to person payments and Apple Pay Cash are available in the US on iPhone SE, iPhone 6 and later, Apple Watch, iPad Pro, iPad (5th Generation), iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3.