Wells Fargo & Company announced that it has added more than 2,500 Axis Bank locations to its ExpressSend® remittance payout network in India, bringing the total number of locations in that country to more than 8,300, in addition to nearly 35,000 ATMs.
Wells Fargo also announced that beginning April 8, 2017, it will offer a $0 transfer fee for all ExpressSend transactions sent to India, extending pricing that was previously available for transactions larger than $500.
“We know that our ExpressSend customers have a choice of remittance providers, and they choose our service because it is economical, dependable, and convenient for both the customer and their family and friends back home,” said Daniel Ayala, executive vice president and head of Wells Fargo’s Global Remittance Services. “By adding Axis Bank to our network in India, this expansion will make it even more convenient for beneficiaries in India to receive their money, and give our customers another reason to feel good about sending money back home.”
ExpressSend customers can send up to $5,000 per day to a beneficiary in India receiving the funds to their account. Beginning April 8, 2017, all transactions sent to any ExpressSend location in India from an eligible account pay no transfer fee (previously, customers sending up to $500 paid a transaction fee of $5). In addition to Axis Bank, beneficiaries in India may receive remittances at more than 5,700 locations and more than 22,000 ATMs operated by ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank.
“Wells Fargo’s integration of Axis Bank into its ExpressSend network provides a valuable opportunity to Indian transnational families,” said Manuel Orozco, Senior Director at Inter-American Dialogue. “This initiative will enhance financial asset building opportunities for the more than 2 million households – representing the third largest migrant community in the U.S. – that send funds from the U.S. to India. This expansion will also financially empower millions of women-headed households in India.”
According to the World Bank Group, remittance volume from the U.S. to India totaled $11.5 billion in 2015, making India the third largest recipient of U.S. remittances. Additionally, according to a 2016 WealthInsight report, more than 133,000 non-resident Indian (NRI) millionaires live in the United States, representing more than half of all NRI millionaires worldwide.
ExpressSend transactions can be initiated by calling Wells Fargo Global Remittance Services at 1-800-556-0605, going online at wellsfargo.com, or visiting a Wells Fargo banking branch, making Wells Fargo the only U.S. commercial bank to offer all three channels for remitting funds. The first remittance sent under each ExpressSend Service Agreement must be initiated in person at a Wells Fargo branch. Customers with an existing checking or savings account may be able to initiate their first remittance by calling the Wells Fargo Phone BankSM.
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Member FDIC. In addition to the transfer fee, Wells Fargo makes money if converting U.S. dollars to a foreign currency.
About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.9 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 8,600 locations, 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 42 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 269,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 27 on Fortune’s 2016 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.
About Axis Bank
Axis Bank is the third largest private sector bank in India. Axis Bank offers the entire spectrum of services to customer segments covering Large and Mid-Corporates, SME, Agriculture and Retail Businesses. With its 3,211 domestic branches (including extension counters) and 13,726 ATMs across the country, as of 31 December 2016, the network of Axis Bank spreads across 1,946 cities and towns, enabling the Bank to reach out to a large cross-section of customers with an array of products and services. The Bank also has nine overseas offices with branches at Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai (at the DIFC), Shanghai and Colombo; representative offices at Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Dhaka and an overseas subsidiary at London, UK. The Bank’s website, www.axisbank.com, offers comprehensive details about its products and services.
Wells Fargo Media
Kris Dahl
612-667-7271
kristopher.a.dahl@wellsfargo.com
Axis Bank Media
Anand H. Mugad
977 33 99 244
Anand.mugad@axisbank.com
