Western Union and TenPay Global, Tencent’s cross-border payment platform, have on last Thursday announced the launch of a wide-ranging strategic partnership to drive innovation with a customer-first mindset, bringing together the physical and digital worlds together in a true omni-channel remittance experience.

The partnership marks a global first for Western Union and debuts with the launch of a co-branded flagship store in Singapore’s Chinatown, to enhance the efficiency of remittances through Weixin Mini Program within the Weixin ecosystem, the duo said in a statement.

The partnership brings together Western Union’s trusted retail network with TenPay Global’s cross-border payment capabilities, providing customers with an integrated digital – physical experience.

At the new flagship store, customers can send money abroad by entering the transaction details on their mobile devices.

Once confirmed, customers can complete the transaction in cash or through supported digital methods at the counter.

Repeat sender and receiver information is automatically pre-filled, reducing filling up physical forms and saving time for customers.

“The strategic partnership with Tencent marks an exciting new chapter in our presence in the country, bringing together the two ecosystems in one innovative, seamless experience for our customers,” Vince Tallent, Senior Vice President, Head of Asia-Pacific for Western Union.

Wenhui Yang, Chief Executive Officer of TenPay Global (Singapore) said through the Weixin and Mini Programs ecosystem, they are empowering digital transformation in offline remittances to enable users to enjoy a smoother, more connected, and efficient remittance experience.

“By integrating digital innovation with Western Union’s extensive retail network and trusted global brand, we are bridging online and offline channels to make cross-border money transfers more inclusive, convenient, and accessible to everyone,” he added.

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