21 December 2016

Western Union remittances available digitally to Maybank customers in Malaysia

Source: Western Union Financial Services. Bassem Awada, Western Union VP for Key Initiatives, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe and CIS (left) and Datuk Lim Hong Tat, Maybank Group Head, Community Financial Services (right) at the launch of Western Union Money Transfer Service via the Maybank M2U Mobile App.
Source: Western Union Financial Services. Bassem Awada, Western Union VP for Key Initiatives, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe and CIS (left) and Datuk Lim Hong Tat, Maybank Group Head, Community Financial Services (right) at the launch of Western Union Money Transfer Service via the Maybank M2U Mobile App.

Maybank and Western Union, a global payment services provider, have launched the first digital remittance service in Malaysia via the Maybank2u (M2u) mobile banking app. The digital remittance service is also available on the Maybank2u website.

The feature enables Maybank customers to transfer money to more than 500,000 Western Union agent locations in over 200 countries and territories*. The money transfer service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week including public holidays, and allows customers to transfer up to RM10,000 in a day. Recipients are typically able to access the money much sooner than through traditional money transfer methods.

Maybank Group Head, Community Financial Services, Datuk Lim Hong Tat said that the new service will reinforce Maybank's online leadership and help the bank to grow its business of enabling transactions on digital platforms. "This new service reflects the same commitment we have as Western Union in providing consumers the best in cross-border financial services. Maybank customers are now able to enjoy fast, convenient and reliable cross-border remittance transfer services digitally around the world," he said.

"We have revolutionised the money transfer processes for Maybank customers when comparing with current practice, where they need to visit a Western Union Agent location in order to transfer money. Now, all they need to do is log in to the M2u App and select the Western Union service, and they are good to go."

Maybank is the leading mobile banking provider in Malaysia with 62% share of all mobile banking transactions in the country, performed via M2u.

Bassem Awada, Western Union VP for Key Initiatives, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe and CIS, said, "This mobile banking app not only grows our relationship with Maybank, but also strengthens our position in Malaysia's cross-border money transfer market. The combination of Maybank's strong presence in digital banking and Western Union's growing digital network, geographic reach and ability to exchange in 130 currencies enables us to move money quickly and reliably."

*Network data as of September 30, 2016