How to send money internationally with Google Pay

Thanks to numerous advances in technology, the world feels like it has gotten smaller in recent decades. Despite this, we are still very far away from adopting a universal currency. Sending money across borders — from the US to India, for example — is still not as seamless as we would want it to be. Luckily for us, Google Pay wants to change this.

Recently, tech giant Google announced its new partnership with Wise – previously known as Transfer Wise – a London-based financial technology company, and Western Union, an American worldwide financial services and communications company, which allows users in the US to send money to India and Singapore from within the application.

Prior to jumping into how it all works, it is important for you to note that the recipient will have to be registered on Google Pay and have their bank account connected through UPI in India and PayNow in Singapore. Also, payments are currently only possible from person to person, and thus, businesses are unable to send or receive money yet. If you have taken care of these required circumstances, follow the steps provided below:

1. If the recipient is already in your contacts list, you can type in their name in the search bar. If not, you can use either their email ID or number to initiate your payment.
2. Once you click on the recipient’s name, you will open the payment window. You should see a disclaimer at the top telling you that you will have to use a Google Pay partner to send money internationally.
3. In the box provided at the bottom, enter the amount of money that you want to transfer and tap on pay.
4. This will bring up a pop-up card asking you to choose between Wise and Western Union, the two partners Google Pay is currently supporting. You will be able to see the actual amount that the recipient will receive before you continue.
5. If you select Western Union, the recipient will have the option to collect the money in person or directly receive it in their bank account. You can choose to pay the amount through your credit/debit card, bank account, or Google Pay balance. There is a limit of $50,000 per transaction.
6. If you choose Wise, you will only be able to pay via your credit or debit card. The amount you send will directly be deposited in the bank account of the recipient. There a limit of $2,000 per transaction.
7. Once your payment has been initiated, you will be able to track the status of it within the contact’s chat itself.