Citi Teams With Dandelion to Enable Cross Border Payments to Digital Wallets

Citigroup Inc. is partnering with Dandelion Payments Inc., a real-time, cross-border payments network, to enable near-instant, full-value cross-border payments into digital wallets globally. Dandelion will integrate Citi’s WorldLink Payment Services into its digital-wallet network to facilitate the payments. The service will initially launch in the Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Colombia. The two companies plan to expand the service to additional countries.  

Dandelion, a service from Euronet Worldwide Inc., enables real-time global payments, via bank deposit, cash pickups, and digital wallets, for financial institutions, businesses, and their customers.

Partnering with Dandelion, which can facilitate cross-border payments to digital wallets in 63 countries, will enhance Citi’s offerings to its financial-institution clients, especially in the remittances space, enabling them to make faster, more cost-effective business-to-consumer (B2C) payments.

The ability to make faster B2C payments directly to digital wallets addresses a growing need among businesses and public-sector entities, according to Citi. B2C payments include payroll and expense reimbursements, customer refunds, compensation payments, and transfers to freelance and gig-economy workers.

The deal also expands the reach Citigroup’s WorldLink Payments Services offers. Citi clients will be able to make cross-border payments in more than 135 currencies using a variety of payment methods, including wire transfers, ACH, and instant cross-border payments. Payments can be made directly to digital wallets or a debit card account.

“By integrating Dandelion’s robust digital-wallet network with Citi’s global payment infrastructure, we are enabling our clients to reach into markets with new payment methods,” Emanuela Saccarola, Citi’s head of cross-border payments services, says in a statement. “This will help unlock speed, cost efficiency and transparency and reinforce our position as a leader in providing always on, 24/7 real-time payments.”