The United States is the world’s largest source of outbound remittances, with migrants and foreign workers sending more than $80 billion overseas each year through licensed money transfer operators, banks, and digital wallets. The biggest corridors are the U.S. to Mexico (over $36B annually), India, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, and Nigeria. From January 1, 2026 a federal 1% remittance tax applies to transfers paid for with cash, money orders or cashier’s checks — digital wallet, debit and credit card payments remain exempt. Major cities including New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Miami, Dallas, Atlanta, Phoenix, San Francisco and Washington D.C. host the densest networks of money transfer agents, ethnic financial corridors, and bank branches that serve every migrant community.
Money Transfer Locations
Western Union
Western Union operates the largest agent network in the United States, with locations inside Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, Kroger, Publix, 7-Eleven stores and thousands of independent check-cashing outlets.
- Western Union New York City
- Western Union Los Angeles
- Western Union Houston
- Western Union Chicago
- Western Union Miami
- Western Union Dallas
- Western Union Atlanta
- Western Union Phoenix
- Western Union San Francisco
- Western Union Washington D.C.
- Western Union Seattle
- Western Union Boston
- Western Union San Diego
- Western Union Las Vegas
- Western Union Philadelphia
MoneyGram
MoneyGram is available at Walmart, CVS, Rite Aid, Albertsons, Safeway and partner U.S. Postal Service locations.
- MoneyGram New York City
- MoneyGram Los Angeles
- MoneyGram Houston
- MoneyGram Chicago
- MoneyGram Miami
- MoneyGram Dallas
- MoneyGram San Francisco
- MoneyGram Atlanta
- MoneyGram Phoenix
- MoneyGram Las Vegas
Ria Money Transfer
Ria is the third-largest U.S. money transfer network, with strong coverage of Latin American and Asian corridors at independent stores and supermarkets.
- Ria New York City
- Ria Los Angeles
- Ria Houston
- Ria Chicago
- Ria Miami
- Ria Dallas
- Ria San Francisco
- Ria Washington D.C.
Digital Money Transfer Providers
Online-first providers dominate the U.S. digital remittance market in 2026 and are exempt from the new 1% remittance tax when funded by bank account or debit/credit card:
- Wise — Mid-market exchange rates and transparent fees to 80+ currencies
- Remitly — Express and Economy options to over 170 countries
- WorldRemit — Cash pickup, bank deposit, mobile money and airtime top-ups
- Xoom (a PayPal service) — Bank deposit and cash pickup in 160+ countries
- OFX — Bank-to-bank transfers favoured for larger amounts
Major Bank & Financial Partners
U.S. banks handle SWIFT wire transfers and are the regulatory backbone of the country’s remittance system:
- JPMorgan Chase
- Bank of America
- Wells Fargo
- Citibank
- U.S. Bank
- PNC Bank
- TD Bank
- Capital One
- HSBC USA
Regulator
Money transfer providers in the United States are regulated federally by FinCEN (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network) under the Bank Secrecy Act, and licensed state-by-state as Money Transmitters by each state’s Department of Financial Institutions or equivalent regulator.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can migrant workers in the United States send money to their home country?
Migrants and foreign workers in the United States — whether from Mexico, India, the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Guatemala, Nigeria, Bangladesh or anywhere else — can send money home through licensed money transmitters such as Western Union, MoneyGram, Ria, Wise, Remitly, WorldRemit and Xoom. U.S. banks (Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citibank) also offer international wire transfers. Cash pickup, bank deposit, mobile wallet credit and home delivery are widely supported across all major corridors.
How long does an international money transfer from the U.S. take?
Most digital transfers from the United States arrive within minutes for cash pickup or mobile wallet credit and 1–2 business days for bank deposit. Bank-to-bank SWIFT wire transfers typically settle in 2–4 business days. Weekends and U.S. federal holidays can extend timing by one banking day in the destination country.
What ID is required to send or receive money in the United States?
Senders in the U.S. must present a valid government-issued photo ID — U.S. driver’s license, state ID, passport, permanent resident card, or matrÃcula consular. Federal law requires money transmitters to record the sender’s full name, address and ID details for any transfer above $1,000. Recipients abroad must show ID matching the name on the transfer, the sender’s name and country, the amount, and the reference or MTCN number.
Which providers offer the best exchange rate from the United States?
Exchange rates and fees change daily. Wise consistently posts the mid-market rate with low transparent fees, while Remitly, WorldRemit and Xoom offer competitive promotional rates for first-time senders. Western Union, MoneyGram and Ria trade rate for wider in-person agent coverage. Compare the all-in cost (fee + FX margin) for your specific corridor and amount before sending — savings of 2–4% are common.
What is the new 1% U.S. remittance tax effective January 2026?
From January 1, 2026, a federal 1% remittance tax applies to international money transfers paid for with cash, money orders or cashier’s checks under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The tax does not apply when senders fund the transfer using a U.S.-issued debit or credit card, a bank account direct debit, or a digital wallet such as Apple Pay, Google Pay or PayPal. The remittance provider collects the tax and remits it to the U.S. Treasury.