There are reports claiming that social networking giant Facebook is planning to turn its messaging platform, Messenger, into more than just a client but also as a point of sale service. Tech analysts recently discovered a code hidden deep in the Facebook Messenger app that suggests that possibility.

Like Us on Facebook

The code was first discovered and reported by The Information. The media outlet reported that tucked inside Facebook Messenger app is a code that hints about its future use as a digital marketplace. The report added that they were able to find a string of code pointing to an unreleased feature that allows users to use the app itself to buy things and services in stores.

According to PC Mag, Facebook has already integrated e-commerce options on its platform when it launched the Buy button on business pages and an online in-app shopping feature.

Not much is known about Facebook's plan to turn Messenger into a digital marketplace. However, Facebook founder and chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg said in January that it is open to forge partnerships with tech companies like Apple to enable digital payments in its social network platform.

In a statement acquired by Apple Insider, Zuckerberg said, "We'll partner with everyone who does payments. We look at the stuff that Apple is doing with Apple Pay, for example, as a really neat innovation in the space that takes a lot of friction out of transactions as well."

There are also speculations claiming that Facebook is working to create its own mobile payment system instead of relying on other services, such as Apple Pay. Should Facebook decide to go this way, tech analysts agree that its own mobile payment system will pose a big competition in the already crowded platform dominated by services like Apple Pay, Android Pay and Samsung Pay.

Other new features hidden in Messenger's code hinted at a possibility of "secret conversations." A feature that led many tech analysts to believe that Facebook is working to support encrypted chats, a feature which is already available in messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram.

The code review also reveals a feature that will allow Messenger users to sync their calendar entries into the app.