WesternUnion, a global leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement and payments, has enhanced its digital services – WU.com and the Western Union mobile app – in Saudi Arabia, in association with Ersal Money Transfer, a joint venture of Alinma Bank and Saudi Post Corporation (SPL) and one of the leading remittance service providers in Saudi Arabia.

Western Union consumers in Saudi Arabia can now enjoy a seamless registration and online verification process prior to using the company’s digital service offerings, which enable them to send money to their loved ones globally, 24/7.

Launched in 2020, WU.com and the Western Union mobile app offer customers in Saudi Arabia the choice to send money directly into billions of bank accounts and millions of wallets in over 125 countries and territories, or more than half a million Agent locations across more than 200 countries and territories, anytime. Customers can pay for their transactions via the website or the app using MADA debit cards issued in Saudi Arabia.

“We are delighted to partner with Ersal to enhance our global digital money transfer capabilities in Saudi Arabia, offering our consumers an optimal digital customer experience while sending money to their family and loved ones globally,” said Salma Massoud, Head of Digital, Middle East and Africa, Western Union. “Speed, reliability and convenience are what define our digital services, and this is even more important during these challenging times where customers may still prefer to transact from the comfort and safety of their homes.”

“Saudi Arabia is a strategic market for Western Union, and this enhancement for WU.com and the Western Union mobile app, alongside our other digital and retail services, are all key to our efforts to expand our network and the options available for our customers for cross border money transfer in the region,” Salma added.

The activation and enhancement of digital services in Saudi Arabia mark yet another milestone in Western Union’s digital acceleration in the Middle East. Moreover, it reflects the Company’s commitment to supporting Saudi Arabia’s global connectivity and digital transformation as the country is implementing forward-looking policies and strategies to shore up its rapid shift into a digitally powered economy in line with its ambitious 2030 vision.

“We are thrilled to build upon a long-standing and innovative relationship with Western Union by collaborating on the launch of enhanced digital services and continuing to strengthen our ties in Saudi Arabia,” said Hussam Al-Hayyaf, CEO, Ersal. “We are keen to offer our customers more choice and freedom to transfer money internationally in a fast, convenient and reliable manner.”

“At Ersal, we have been investing in digital excellence to cater to the rapidly changing needs and preferences of our customers, and this collaboration with Western Union marks important progress toward achieving that goal,” Hussam Al-Hayyaf added.

Saudi Arabia is a major hub for money movement and was the third-largest source country for remittances in 2020,remitting around USD35billionin 2020, according to the World Bank. It is propelled largely by its international standing as a popular international labour market for professionals, offering both high- and low-skill employment opportunities.

CUSTOMER GUIDANCE

In line with the local regulations, customers are required to register on www.westernunion.com or theWestern Union mobile app (available for iOS and Android). After successful online registration, customers will be asked to choose one of two options for verification:

• Customers who have an Absher account have to select the online verification option and click continue. They are then redirected to the Absher website to login and share their details. Once details are shared from Absher, customers are redirected back to WU.com app to provide additional details required to finalize their profile. Once customers accept Ersal Terms and conditions, they are marked as Verified and can start using wu.com services.
• If the customer does not have an Absher account, they can visit the nearest Ersal locations and verify their identity in person. After successful verification, customers will receive a notification confirming they can now conveniently send Western Union money transfers anytime, with a few clicks, using a MADA debit card.

In addition to the convenience and reliability of sending money any time, the website and app (available for iOS and Android users) display current exchange rates and fees, track money transfers online, list recent and pending transactions and list payout options available in the receiver’s country.