Every year, people around the world send nearly $700 billion to friends and relatives in their home countries, which pay for essential expenditures like healthcare, education, bills and more. According to a recent Mastercard study, 73% of people regularly send money abroad. However, in the last year, 38% of people surveyed reported greater involvement in international payments. This suggests that as the pandemic continues to create uncertainty, easing the financial anxieties of loved ones is even more critical. 

Starting today, Google Pay users in the U.S. will be able to send money to Google Pay users in India and Singapore, thanks to a new integration with Western Union and Wise. By the end of the year, we expect that U.S. Google Pay users will be able to send money to people in more than 200 countries and territories through Western Union and to more than 80 countries through Wise.

To send money internationally, start by searching for the Google Pay user you want to send money to, tap “Pay,” and select either Western Union or Wise. From there, you simply follow the steps to complete the payment. From now until June 16, Western Union will offer unlimited free transfers when sending money with Google Pay, and Wise will make the first transfer free for new customers on transfers up to $500.

For some, sending money back to their home countries is a regular activity and we are making it more accessible by adding it to the app that you use for your everyday money tasks. Working with Western Union and Wise, we’re now able to give those with family abroad a simple, safe and reliable way to send money abroad.