Western Union to Cap NY Fees After Intermex Deal

Western Union has agreed to keep its New York locations open and limit fee increases for three years after completing its acquisition of International Money Express, Inc. (Intermex), under commitments secured by New York Attorney General Letitia James and the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS).

The agreement, announced on August 13, 2026, follows DFS approval of the acquisition. It aims to ensure New Yorkers who rely on remittance services keep reliable, fairly priced access.

Contents

01

What the Deal Requires

02

Fee Limits and Service Protections

03

Oversight and Enforcement

04

Why It Matters for Consumers

What the Deal Requires

Following DFS approval, Western Union must maintain locations throughout the state, continue to offer remittance services, and cap fee increases for three years after acquiring Intermex. Intermex's locations will remain open and transition to Western Union branding.

Western Union must also maintain at least the same physical presence in ZIP codes where Intermex locations operate at the time of acquisition. At each of those locations, it must offer retail remittance services for New York customers sending money to Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Peru.

Fee Limits and Service Protections

Under agreements with DFS and the Office of the Attorney General, Western Union is barred from using the acquisition to reduce services for three years for New York consumers who remit money to those six countries. Price increases on retail services must be limited to only those that keep pace with inflation.

The safeguards reflect the combined footprint of the two companies. Western Union operates 3,000 licensed agent locations in New York, while Intermex serves more than 6,000 New York consumers per year with branches in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Westchester County, and Long Island.

Oversight and Enforcement

Western Union will provide reports to DFS for three years. These must include service terminations at retail locations and the reasons, customer communications about service availability and pricing, and the number and amount of retail and digital remittance services at each location by method and country of destination, along with the fee schedule.

Western Union must also pay for an independent, DFS-approved auditor to conduct an audit one year after the acquisition. If Western Union breaches its terms, the Office of the Attorney General may take enforcement action or extend the agreement.

Why It Matters for Consumers

Intermex focuses on remittance services to Latin America and the Caribbean. After acquiring Intermex, Western Union will control a significant share of New York customers' retail remittances to Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Peru.

Governor Kathy Hochul said her administration is ensuring critical remittance services remain available across the state while protecting consumers from unfair fee increases. DFS Acting Superintendent Kaitlin Asrow said the commitment ensures New Yorkers keep the same access to critical remittance services after the deal.