Western Union Expands Real-Time Payout

Western Union (NYSE: WU), a global leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement and payments, announced it has further expanded its global digital network for funds payout and increased the availability of real-time payouts, advancing the company’s goal of building the world’s largest funds collection and distribution network to meet the growing customer demand for transparency, immediacy, and reliability.

For decades, Western Union has been moving money with payout in minutes in over 130 currencies through its vast global retail network of over 550,000 agent locations across more than 200 countries and territories.

The company now also expanded its account-based payout options, including bank account, wallet, or card payout in over 120 countries (up from 100) with real-time payment speeds in 80 of these countries (up from 50 in April 2020).¹ The capability is available for its customers and clients across its branded, co-branded partner, and white-label partner money transfer and payments businesses. The company targets to enable as many as 100 countries for real-time capability by the end of 2020.

Western Union’s expansion of its global network for real-time money movement and payments puts the company at the forefront, as real-time payments ecosystems gather momentum worldwide. More and more countries are opting to develop and operate real-time schemes to optimize their payments systems and unlock immediate economic benefits.

“We are making it easier to make payments cross-border in real-time for an expanding array of consumer and business needs across the world by building an expansive funds collection and distribution network. We are making the experience leaner, faster and less complex for consumers, businesses, and our partners,” said Western Union President of Global Network Jean Claude Farah. “By leveraging a combination of cross-border connections and our unmatched platform strengths, including global processing, compliance, and settlement capabilities, we can meet the increasing demand from global consumers and businesses for fast, transparent, and reliable cross-border real-time payments.

“Our cross-border real-time money transfer and payment capabilities are offering more connections across the international payments landscape, especially in developing and emerging markets. This expansion is vital to our business growth and critical for unlocking opportunities for global economic progress, especially during the current landscape,” said Farah.

Western Union’s global account payout network now includes access to more than four billion bank accounts, wallets, and cards across every continent in the world. Connections are through local banks, national payment settlement switches, third-party payment processors, mobile wallets, and card connections.

¹ Service and funds availability depends on certain factors including the Service selected, the selection of delayed delivery options, special terms applicable to each Service, amount sent, destination country, currency availability, regulatory issues, consumer protection issues, identification requirements, delivery restrictions, agent location hours, and differences in time zones

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About Western Union

The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a global leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement and payments. Our omnichannel platform connects the digital and physical worlds and makes it possible for consumers and businesses to send and receive money and make payments with speed, ease, and reliability. As of June 30, 2020, our network included over 550,000 retail agent locations offering our branded services in more than 200 countries and territories, with the capability to send money to billions of accounts. Additionally, westernunion.com, our fastest growing channel in 2019, is available in over 75 countries, plus additional territories, to move money around the world. With our global reach, Western Union moves money for better, connecting family, friends, and businesses to enable financial inclusion and support economic growth.

For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.

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Contact information

Western Union Global Communications; Pia De Lima; Pia.DeLima@westernunion.com 

Western Union Americas: Margaret Fogarty; margaret.fogarty@wu.com  

Western Union Middle East & Africa: Mohamed El Khalouki; Mohamed.ElKhalouki@wu.com 

Western Union Asia-Pacific: Karen Santos; Karen.Santos2@westernunion.com 

Western Union Foundation: Emily Larson; emily.larson@wu.com