Brazil’s central bank effectively suspended a newly-launched system allowing users of Facebook Inc’s WhatsApp messaging service to send money via chats, ordering Visa (V.N) and Mastercard (MA.N) to halt payments and transfers via the system.

Axar.az reports citing foreign media that the central bank said in a statement that rolling out the service without previous analysis by the monetary authority could damage the Brazilian payments system in the areas of competition, efficiency and data privacy.

The system, launched last week in a nationwide rollout, allowed users to transfer funds to individuals or local businesses within a chat, attaching payments as they would a photo or video.

Facebook and Visa did not immediately reply to requests for comment. Cielo declined to comment.