Western Union has modified its partnership with Visa to place a greater emphasis on its integration with Visa Direct, according to a press release.
“Western Union and Visa share a vision for modern money movement, one that ensures cross-border payments are reliable, efficient and transparent, with convenience and the customer’s channel of choice at the center of our customer experience,” Gabriella Fitzgerald, president of the Americas Region, Western Union, said. “Our partnership with Visa underscores the benefits that collaboration brings to realizing this shared vision for our joint customers around the globe.”
The newest update will allow Western Union clients to send money to Colombia, El Salvador, Jamaica, Philippines, Romania and Thailand in real-time from any U.S. retail locations. The expansion will strengthen Visa’s real-time money movement network into Western Union’s U.S. network.
Western Union’s affiliation with Visa Direct initially kicked off in Europe, granting customers in more than 20 countries access to perform transactions with eligible Visa debit card holders.
“Visa is transforming cross-border payments with Visa Direct by helping to bring the ability to securely send and receive funds in near-real-time to more use cases around the world,” said Yanilsa Gonzalez-Ore, senior vice president, North America head, Visa Direct. “Through this partnership, we are using Western Union’s digital capabilities to help U.S. customers send money to their family and friends and provide a means to help with bills, as a gift or for an emergency.”