MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – International money transfer company Wise officially launched in Mexico on Thursday, offering a new way for Mexican nationals to send money in and out of the country.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
In a press release, Wise said its service aims to address significant challenges Mexicans face from a lack of transparency in international payments and high hidden fees associated with traditional money transfers.
KEY QUOTE
“Launching in Mexico allows Wise to disrupt a traditional remittance market by introducing radical price transparency, completely redefining how Mexican nationals send money abroad,” said Efrain Florencia, Wise’s Mexico country manager.
CONTEXT
Mexico is the second-largest recipient of remittances globally, according to the World Bank, and remittances are one of the country’s most important sources of foreign currency.
BY THE NUMBERS
According to a survey commissioned by Wise, consumers moved around $168 billion in and out of Mexico in 2024, a figure that the company projected to potentially double by 2028.
Wise said that in 2024, according to its survey, Mexicans lost $446 million in hidden fees when sending money internationally, which is projected to rise to approximately $514 million in 2025.
(Reporting by Henry Romero; Writing by Brendan O’Boyle; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
