Western Union Seals $500M Intermex Deal to Command Americas Money Transfer Race

Western Union is set to expand its global reach with a $500 million Intermex acquisition, adding Intermex’s Ripple partnership to its arsenal of cross-border payment capabilities.

Western Union Accelerates Global Expansion with Intermex Acquisition

Western Union (NYSE: WU) and International Money Express Inc. (Intermex) (NASDAQ: IMXI) announced on Aug. 10 that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Western Union to acquire Intermex in an all-cash transaction valued at roughly $500 million. The offer of $16.00 per Intermex share represents about a 50% premium to its 90-day volume-weighted average price. The companies stated:

“Intermex’s deep market knowledge, strong agent relationships, and operational expertise further positions Western Union to capture growth in the Americas,” the companies added. Intermex, which serves about 6 million customers, brings a broad agent network and operational capabilities that could expand Western Union’s reach across the Americas.

The boards of both companies have unanimously approved the deal, which is projected to deliver $30 million in annual run-rate cost synergies within two years, along with additional revenue opportunities through integrated product and distribution channels. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to Western Union’s adjusted earnings per share by more than $0.10 in its first full year.

Western Union President and CEO Devin McGranahan described the transaction as a “disciplined, strategic step” to expand operations and reach more U.S. consumer segments. Intermex Chairman and CEO Bob Lisy said the merger delivers “significant and certain value” to shareholders while furthering its omni-channel growth plan.

Intermex’s technology capabilities include a 2020 partnership with Ripple Labs, which allows it to use Ripple’s On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) product through RippleNet, a global network of financial institutions that sends money worldwide, instantly and reliably for fractions of a penny. ODL leverages the XRP as a real-time bridge between sending and receiving currencies, removing the need to pre-fund accounts in cross-border transactions. The Western Union transaction is expected to close by mid-2026, pending regulatory and shareholder approvals.