Google and Wise join forces to streamline remittances

Google has announced a pilot programme that will integrate international money transfer options directly into Google Wallet and Google Search, with Wise, Ria Money Transfer and Xe among the inaugural providers.

Google to streamline remittances

The initiative is aimed at simplifying the process for US consumers sending money abroad, starting with high-demand remittance corridors from US dollars to Indian rupees, Philippine pesos, Mexican pesos and Brazilian reais.

When users search Google for exchange rates or international payment solutions along these routes, they will be presented with a side-by-side comparison of participating providers.

Each listing will include details on fees and expected transfer times, allowing senders to make an informed choice without navigating multiple platforms.

For Wise, the collaboration is powered by its Wise Platform — the company’s infrastructure product already in use by global banks and fintechs including Morgan Stanley, Standard Chartered, Brex and Ramp.

Lauren Langbridge, Commercial Director for Wise Platform, described the move as “an opportunity to enable fast, reliable international payments for more users across the US, and empower everyday people to make the best choice based on their needs.”

Ria and Xe’s parent company, Euronet, is also banking on the reach of Google’s ecosystem.

Juan Bianchi, CEO of Euronet’s money transfer segment, said the partnership would expose millions of new customers to their services, many of whom may never have used formal digital remittance channels before.

The launch comes against a backdrop of sustained growth in cross-border payments from the US.

According to World Bank data, remittances to low- and middle-income countries reached record highs in 2023, driven by strong labour markets and a surge in digital adoption.

While competition among providers has helped bring costs down in some corridors, transparency remains a sticking point for many senders — an issue Google’s integrated comparison aims to address.

Beyond remittances, Google is making parallel enhancements to its payment tools in Chrome.

Autofill will now show rewards details for over 100 US credit cards, and shoppers will be able to access “buy now, pay later” options from Affirm and Zip directly at checkout, with Klarna, Afterpay and others set to follow.

For Wise, the partnership offers both visibility and validation.

Over the past 14 years, the firm has built a cross-border payments network designed to strip away friction in moving money globally.

Google’s adoption of that infrastructure is as much an endorsement of its technical reliability as it is a signal of the growing importance of embedding financial services seamlessly into digital environments.