BOTIM, the largest and most popular VoIP
solution in MENA, is now the region's first communications platform
to enable its users to seamlessly send money around the
world
Astra Tech, the owner of BOTIM, is the latest
organization to embed MoneyGram's leading fintech capabilities into
its service offerings
DALLAS, Jan. 25,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- MoneyGram International,
Inc. (NASDAQ: MGI), a leading global financial technology
company that connects the world's communities, today announced
a strategic partnership with Astra Tech (Astra), a technology
investment and development group based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the owner of
BOTIM, the largest and most popular Voice over Internet Protocol
(VoIP) solution in the Middle East
and North Africa (MENA) with over
90 million registered users. Through this innovative partnership,
BOTIM is the region's first communications platform to enable its
users to seamlessly send money around the world in near
real-time.
"As we increasingly look to capture growth by opening our global
network to new use cases, we are thrilled to offer our leading
international money transfer capabilities on the most trusted
consumer messaging platform across the Middle East," said Alex Holmes, MoneyGram Chairman and CEO. "We
continue to be excited about the demand for our services – not only
do millions of consumers around the world rely on MoneyGram for
their daily financial needs, but more and more of the world's top
organizations are now seeking to embed our fintech capabilities
into their service offerings."
"Partnering with MoneyGram will allow us to leverage their
unparalleled security and offer BOTIM users world-class financial
services. Together, we are revolutionizing international money
transfers by making it as seamless as sending a text message," said
Abdallah Abu Sheikh, Astra Tech
Founder and BOTIM CEO. "This represents our ability to connect
people not only socially but also financially, while demonstrating
our arrival as the first chat-based communication platform that
enables people to send money home with a click of a button."
Astra Tech is on a mission to create a platform that will offer
everything from instant messaging to digital payments. Earlier this
month, Astra Tech acquired BOTIM, making the company one of the
largest communications technology platforms in the MENA region.
After recently distributing a poll asking consumers which new
service they were most interested in accessing through the BOTIM
app, more than 2 million responses in 48 hours indicated that
international money transfer was the top priority.
"MoneyGram has spent over 80 years building one of the world's
largest P2P payment networks, and today's announcement highlights
the potential for all kinds of organizations to plug into that,"
said Grant Lines, MoneyGram Chief
Revenue Officer. "I am excited to see this partnership take form as
it advances our leading position in the Middle East and spurs a positive impact for
our business while we continue uncovering new opportunities to
create meaningful processing revenue in the years ahead."
The service is expected to be available to BOTIM users in the
UAE in February.
About MoneyGram International, Inc.
MoneyGram
International, Inc. is a global financial technology company that
enables consumers and businesses to move and manage money in nearly
every country around the world. Through its expansive set of
fintech offerings, MoneyGram provides millions of consumers
annually the ability to seamlessly send money home to family and
friends, store money in mobile wallets, and buy, sell and hold
cryptocurrencies on its industry-leading app. The Company's
innovative cross-border platform enables its customers to send
funds directly into bank accounts and mobile wallets or cash-in and
cash-out more than 135 currencies and numerous cryptocurrencies
through one of the largest cash distribution networks in the world.
Modern, mobile and API-driven, MoneyGram's white-labeled remittance
service also provides some of the world's top brands and
organizations the ability to disburse funds directly to their
consumer clients. Based in Dallas
and known for its strong corporate culture globally, MoneyGram has
been named a recipient of the Top Workplaces USA award for two consecutive years, an honor
based entirely on employee feedback.
About BOTIM
BOTIM, renowned for VoIP across the MENA
region, is now transforming from a communication app into an ultra
app. BOTIM will offer many services, including fintech,
government services, pharmacy, retail, and more, for its users to
make their lives more digital, seamless, and convenient.
Established in 2017, BOTIM operates in 155 countries, offering free
video and voice calls, money transfers within UAE, phone recharges
and bill payments locally and internationally, group chats and
group calls, gaming, health features, and a Quran book reading.
Astra Tech, a UAE-based technology development group, acquired
BOTIM in 2022.
MoneyGram Media Contact
Sydney
Schoolfield
media@moneygram.com
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SOURCE MoneyGram