MoneyGram Worldwide, one of many world’s largest cross-border transfer providers, is partnering with the Stellar blockchain to create a stablecoin-based platform for cash transfers. The brand new service will permit Stellar wallet customers to ship Circle’s USD Coin (USDC) to recipients, who will probably be in a position to money them out for fiat forex by way of the MoneyGram community.
“We’re making an attempt to be a bridge from the crypto world to the fiat world,” MoneyGram CEO Alex Holmes stated in an interview.
Holmes additionally stated MoneyGram is in talks with third-party corporations that present digital wallets in El Salvador alongside the government-backed Chivo wallets, which had been launched when the nation made Bitcoin (BTC) authorized tender final 12 months. Via a deal with a kind of corporations, MoneyGram would have the opportunity to compete for BTC transfers as properly.
“If a rustic like El Salvador goes to make Bitcoin seamless with US {dollars} in nation, I feel that customers, by way of MoneyGram, ought to have the opportunity to transfer Bitcoin to El Salvador or transfer {dollars} and convert them to Bitcoin,” Holmes instructed Bloomberg. “If that is the place the world goes, let’s take part in that world and let’s have a look at how we may help fulfill that chance.”
Associated: Moneygram buys 4% stake in crypto ATM operator Coinme
MoneyGram had a earlier deal with Ripple Labs, which as soon as owned a big bundle of its inventory. Ripple and MoneyGram severed their relationship in March 2021 shortly after the USA Securities and Change Fee filed a lawsuit in opposition to Ripple. MoneyGram’s involvement with Ripple resulted in a class-action go well with in opposition to the fee service in March 2021.
MoneyGram and Stellar started working collectively in October 2021 and launched a pilot program in November. Earlier that summer time, reviews circulated that Stellar was in a takeover of MoneyGram.
