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WorldRemit Is Raising Funds at $5 Billion Valuation

WorldRemit Is Raising Funds at $5 Billion Valuation

Money transfer startup WorldRemit Ltd. is seeking to raise cash at a valuation of about $5 billion ahead of a potential initial public offering, people familiar with the matter said. 

The London-based company is in talks with investors about a funding round, though the deal hasn’t been finalized and terms may still change, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing confidential information. The IPO could come as soon as 2022, they said. 

A representative for WorldRemit declined to comment. 

WorldRemit Is Raising Funds at $5 Billion Valuation

The cross-border digital payments service was created in 2010, inspired by founder Ismail Ahmed’s frustration at the high transaction fees other services charged to send money to his family in East Africa. Last August, WorldRemit bought Africa-focused remittance app Sendwave in a $500 million deal that valued the combined companies at more than $1.5 billion, Bloomberg News reported

The company had earlier considered a market debut this year, people familiar with the matter said previously. 

WorldRemit now has more than 5.7 million customers across 70 currencies and 130 countries, according to the company’s website. It has raised money from investors including Accel, TCV, Project A and LeapFrog Investments. 

Companies that make it easier to move funds internationally, such as the U.K.’s Wise Plc, have been attractive to investors as the global pandemic intensified demand for digital banking. A World Bank report found that remittance flows remained strong last year despite the coronavirus outbreak, dropping just 1.6% in low- and middle-income countries.

©2021 Bloomberg L.P.