Social networking giant Facebook unveiled its future plans for the Messenger back in March 2015. Facebook envisions Messenger to include third-party app integration, the ability to send money to friends and a bold step into e-commerce. A recent code review of Messenger reveals that Facebook has already laid down the cornerstone for the apps ability to support in-store purchases.

Like Us on Facebook

The code review was made by The Information and it reveals a handful of interesting new features hidden deep in Messenger's code. The website found strings of codes pointing to a feature that will allow users to pay for services and goods at a cash register.

Whether or not Facebook is planning to turn Messenger into a digital marketplace is yet to be confirmed, but these recently discovered codes could provide important hints regarding the direction Messenger is heading.

In the past, Facebook had already integrated e-commerce features in its platform. First was when the company launched the "Buy" button on business pages. Facebook also launched a feature that allows users to do in-app shopping.

Speculations about Facebook creating its own mobile payment system have been brewing in the tech community for quite some time now. In January, Facebook founder and chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg claimed that he is open to the possibility of creating a partnership with tech companies that have existing mobile payment system, like Apple.

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."

Back in 2010, Facebook began experimenting with an alternative payment which involves coupons. Facebook started working with retailers and offered coupons in the Facebook mobile app as part of the Facebook Deals program, according to PC World.

Aside from turning Messenger into a digital marketplace, the recent code review also reveal Facebook's intention to create an encrypted chat system called "secret conversations." It is not clear whether Facebook plans to integrated encryption on user chats but tech analysts are happy about the efforts the social network giant is making in order to protect its user base.