Co-operative Bank partners with WorldRemit for digital money transfers to Kenya

Nairobi and London, 23 May 2019: Co-operative Bank of Kenya has partnered with leading digital money transfer company WorldRemit to enable digital money transfers to over 6 million Co-operative Bank accounts and 150 new cash pickup locations nationwide.

Using the WorldRemit app or website, Kenyan diaspora living in over 50 countries can now send money directly to their loved ones’ personal Co-op Bank accounts in over 150 branches. The transfers can be made directly from the senders’ mobile phones, and the receiver can withdraw the funds from a nearby Co-op Bank Agent, ATM or Branch.

WorldRemit saves customers time and money, enabling them to send funds home in a few taps from their phones without having to visit a bricks and mortar agent. Customers sending to Kenya can choose from a variety of convenient pay-out options including bank transfer, cash pickup, mobile money and mobile airtime top up.

Over three million Kenyans live abroad, with top senders to the country including the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia. The World Bank estimates that in 2018 the Kenyan diaspora sent $2.7 billion in remittances, now the country’s top foreign exchange earner exceeding tea, coffee, and tourism.

Many Kenyans in the diaspora support family and relatives here at home to fund basic needs including education, food, housing and access to healthcare. According to recent WorldRemit research based on national household survey data, Kenyans abroad contribute over $300 million to children’s education nationally. Receiving remittances halves a Kenyan child’s chances of being out of school.

Mr. Arthur Muchangi, Director Retail Banking at Co-operative Bank of Kenya confirmed the bank’s commitment to support remittances, saying, “As a bank that handles some of the largest volumes of remittances to Kenya, Co-op Bank will continue to invest in partnerships that provide Kenyans in the Diaspora with the most affordable and secure means of transferring their funds home for domestic support, savings and investment. Co-operative Bank has a dedicated Diaspora Banking Center that is available 24/7 to serve diaspora clients irrespective of time zones, the first of its kind in Kenya.”

Sharon Kinyanjui, Head of East and Central Africa at WorldRemit commented: “Kenyans around the world make WorldRemit their top choice when it comes to sending money home. We are delighted to partner with Co-operative Bank of Kenya, a trusted household name with strong ties to the diaspora and a shared commitment to financial inclusion, to further expand our network in the country and make our convenient service accessible to all.”

Visit the WorldRemit or Co-operative Bank websites for more information on how to send money to Kenya.

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About WorldRemit

We are a leading global payments company and, along with Sendwave, part of Zepz, a group powering two global remittance brands. 

We disrupted an industry previously dominated by offline legacy players by taking international money transfers online – making them safer, faster and lower cost. We currently operate in more than 5,000 money transfer corridors worldwide and as part of Zepz, are part of a 1,400 person global workforce.

Sending money with WorldRemit is 100% digital (cashless), increasing convenience and enhancing security. For those receiving money, we offer a wide range of options, including bank transfer, cash pickup, airtime top up and mobile money. 

Backed by Accel, TCV and Leapfrog – WorldRemit’s headquarters are in London, United Kingdom, with regional offices in the United States, Poland, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Africa, Somaliland, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Belgium.

About Zepz

Zepz Group is the group powering leading global remittance brands: WorldRemit and Sendwave. Since 2021, Zepz Group has been disrupting an industry previously dominated by offline legacy players by reducing the barriers to finance and increasing safety and convenience for users. Every day, Zepz Group and its brands work towards unlocking the prosperity of cross-border communities through finance and technology - driven by the vision of a world that celebrates migrants’ impact on prosperity, at home and abroad.

Zepz Group brands have helped cross-border communities send over $15bn from 50 countries, to recipients in 130 countries in 2022, and operate over 5,000 money transfer corridors worldwide. Zepz Group employs over 1,400 people globally as a remote-first employer, with team members located across six continents.