Facebook launched Facebook Credits in 2009, and has been increasing emphasis on the currency system ever since. Credits is a universal virtual currency program for developers. The idea is that instead of buying virtual currency or virtual goods from no-name application developers or third party payment companies, users should have more trust in Facebook to buy Facebook Credits directly, and then spend those in applications. As a result, Facebook gains revenue from virtual goods transactions on the Facebook Platform, but doesn’t have to take on any of the payments risk itself – it can still rely on credit cards and other third party payment providers, like mobile payments or prepaid cards, to accept funds from consumers.

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