US-based remittance firm Western Union has joined forces with Japanese peer City Express for consumer-to-business (C2B) payments.

Under the partnership, used cars from Japanese used-car exporter BE FORWARD can be purchased using Western Union and City Express.

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The C2B service leverages Quick Pay that is available across the Bahamas, Chile, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mongolia, New Zealand, Tanzania, Uganda as well as Zambia.

Customers using BE FORWARD in these locations can do online shopping on its website. They can make payments for their shopping at a Western Union Agent in their country of residence utilising local currency.

BE FORWARD president Hironori Yamakawa said: “By connecting to Western Union’s robust retail network, we have the unique ability to link our offering to cash payments worldwide and serve many market segments.

“We have widened the category for potential customers by plugging into the Western Union and City Express platforms and enabling them to purchase a used car online and pay in person using local currency.”

Western Union partnerships in Asia  

In October this year, the money transfer firm launched its digital platform WU.com in India to enable cross-border fund transfers globally.

In the same month, the remittance firm also collaborated with Japanese firm Kyodai Remittance for fund transfers.

In August 2019, Filipino lender BDO Unibank expanded its alliance with Western Union to support international money transfers.

Earlier this year, Western Union partnered with Valyou Mobile Wallet in Malaysia, and South Korean lender KEB Hana Bank.