The capability to pay with Apple Pay for sending money transfers through the Western Union app in the United Kingdom is planned for later this year.

“Today, 60 percent of all Western Union digital money transfer transactions globally are initiated via a mobile device1,” said Khalid Fellahi, senior vice president and general manager of Western Union Digital. “By bringing Apple Pay as a payment method in the US and later to the UK, Western Union is delivering an exceptional experience across our mobile platform, allowing our customers to conveniently and reliably move money, whenever they please.”

More information about the offering is available from Western Union online.

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With the stated goal being to provide consumers yet another way to fund global money transfers and bill payments in the United States, Western Union says consumers making Western Union transactions at kiosks in over 7,600 Walgreens and Duane Reade locations nationwide also have the ability to utilize the Apple Pay service.

“Innovative payment options are a strategic focus for Western Union, and starting to accept Apple Pay is in keeping with the company’s blueprint for the future,” said Odilon Almeida, Western Union President for the Americas and European Union. “Our customers’ needs and preferences are top of mind,” he added.

The first launch, we’re told, is at Western Union’s flagship 1440 Broadway in New York City — with more participating Western Union Agent locations to follow.

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According to an announcement made late last week, Western Union has officially partnered with MTN, one of the largest mobile operators in Africa, to introduce what’s being called a cross-border mobile money transfer.

The target, however, is collectively spread across the emerging markets of Africa.

Western Union’s new enterprise will be native to the various (close to two dozen markets) presently served by MTN.

The new service enables MTN customers to send money internationally with Western Union directly from their Mobile Money accounts for cash payout at Western Union Agent locations worldwide or to subscribers of select mobile phone companies with which Western Union has agreements.

Western Union and MTN also announced today that they will provide 9,000 branded mobile “Yellow Phones” to Ugandans. Customers who receive these phones must already have an active MTN Mobile Money account or sign up for one in order to use the new remittance service. The phones will be given away via ongoing promotions throughout Uganda over the next few months.

“Western Union is changing quickly and we are leading the way in bringing international remittances to mobile subscribers around the globe,” said Diane Scott, Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer and President, Western Union Ventures. “Our network of nearly half a million locations, our experience in moving money across borders, and our relationships with the world’s most successful mobile operators such as MTN, ideally position us to introduce many people to cross-border financial services.

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EnStream, creators of the Zoompass Mobile Wallet, is a mobile-commerce joint venture company owned by Canadian wireless service providers Bell Canada, Rogers Communications, and TELUS Corp. With Zoompass, people in Canada are able to send, receive, and request digital currency within that country using their cell phones.

Sure, financial transactions via mobiles has been old hat in emerging economies like South Africa, as reader Mozfat recently informed us. That’s because in those nations, not many people have access to banks and other financial institutions, while in developed economies people can easily get bank or credit union accounts (or go to their local liquor-and-check-cashing store). They can also access their accounts by personal computer, while in less-wealthy countries people can better access the Internet by phone.

Western Union and EnStream want to change the paradigm, maybe even democratize the way money is sent and received

“Until now, our alliances have been with mobile operators in developing countries… This is our first strategic alliance with a mobile operator consortium in a country where 96% of the population has a bank account,” Brian Fox, Western Union’s Senior Vice President and General Manager for Canada, said in a release.

“Together we are changing the way money moves around the globe. International remittances are a logical extension of the Zoompass functionality, and they build on our vision to give every Canadian mobile subscriber the ability to send money to anyone, anywhere in the world,” Robin Dua, President of EnStream LP, also said.

A century ago, international money transfers required a letter of credit and telegrams exchanged between banks. Mobile phone transfers won’t just make the process light years faster–I’m hoping that they may even put those dreaded Craigslist “send me money by Western Union” scam artists out of business.

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