Announced today at MoneyConf 2017 in Spain, Google’s digital wallet service, Android Pay is expanding its roots across the globe with support from widely known U.K-based fintech startup WorldRemit. The latter has today announced that it has integrated the option to send/receive money globally using Android Pay on its platform.
In an official press statement, the company mentions that it will allow the approximately 112 million users on its remittance service to securely transfer money to their families or peers with just a single tap and authentication. It also touts of being the numero uno remittance startup across the globe to bring cross-border support for Google’s payment service. As explained by Alice Newton-Rex, VP of Product at WorldRemit, the company has decided to include the said money sending alternative because:
Currently, 60% of WorldRemit app users are on Android, which is also by far the most popular mobile operating system in the developing world, where 2 billion people are still unbanked, but critically half a billion use their mobiles as a bank account.
This integration with Android Pay is the next logical step of our mobile first approach and continues our commitment to providing greater financial inclusion.
Using the WorldRemit app, which was launched back in 2010, is quite simple. While the option to transfer funds with Android Pay is relatively new, you already have more than enough alternatives — the most popular being the Western Union. This agreement is not exclusive, hence other remittance startups can also jump the gun to integrate Android Pay into their platforms — providing the users with a new option and Google with an extensive new user base.
By connecting directly with Android Pay, WorldRemit customers can transfer money instantly across continents in just 5 taps – without entering credit card or 3DS details.
WorldRemit enables its user base to send money to their beloved pupils, without the mobile device owned by them coming in the way of your transfers. It is possible to receive the payout in cash, transfers into a bank account or into a mobile money account. It doesn’t matter whether you own a smartphone or a dumb ‘feature’ phone, you will still be able to receive your payment. It counts around 600,000 transactions every month, being transmitted from over 50 countries to more than 140 destinations.
Commenting on the partnership, Pali Bhat, Director, Product Management at Google, said
We want to make it easier for organizations like WorldRemit to offer a simpler, faster in-app payment solution for their customers. With Android Pay, people will be able to speed through checkout with their Android phones in a few clicks.
Android Pay has recently been bulking up on its features and partnerships to keep its arch-rivals, Apple and Samsung, at bay. The digital wallet platform recently added support for leading wallet service provider — PayPal to its application, integrating its service with Facebook Messenger, and expanding the scope of its APIs.
Apple Pay, on the other hand, has stepped foot into the peer-to-peer payments space with the integration of its digital wallet in the iMessage app — in the form of an app. This means you can simply open the message screen, select the Apple Pay app and enter the amount you want to send to your friend and authenticate the transaction. That’s it, easy peasy!
6 comments