Leading mobile payments company聽WorldRemit has raised $175 million in a huge funding round.
The Series D round was led by returning investors TCV, Accel and Leapfrog Investments.
Founded in 2010, WorldRemit is a global leader in smartphone and online payments.
It handles a growing share of the $700 billion remittances sent each year by expatriates and migrant workers to their home countries.
The company serves almost four million customers transferring money from 50 鈥榮end鈥� countries to 150 鈥榬eceive鈥� countries.
CEO Breon Corcoran said: 鈥淔or more than eight years our core purpose has been and continues to be to help migrants send money to their families, friends and communities.
鈥淥ur customers play a key role in the economies where they work and their remittances are important to their home countries.鈥�
鈥淥ur mission is to help them transfer money as securely and speedily as possible while reducing the cost to our customers.
鈥淲e will grow our business through differentiation on speed, service, security and value.
鈥淭he leadership team is grateful to our investors for their continued commitment to the business. The new money will help us to further develop the offering and we will launch a solution for small and medium-sized businesses.鈥�
The Series D funding round comes at a pivotal stage in the company鈥檚 growth. In 2018, the USA became WorldRemit鈥檚 largest send market, following the company becoming one of the first UK financial service firms to secure licenses in all 50 states.
The firm says it will use the new investment to further drive global growth and diversify the company鈥檚 product offering for both money transfer senders and recipients.
The company is also set to launch a new money transfer solution targeting small and medium-sized business owners who trade internationally, especially in emerging markets. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including FCA approval.
TCV general partner John Doran said: 鈥淥ver the past eight years, Ismail and his founding team have built a fantastic business that offers customers a compelling solution and value proposition.
鈥淪ince passing the reins to Breon and the new management team last year, the business has continued to build on this platform and accelerated. We believe the opportunity and proposition is larger than ever.
鈥淚n 2018, mobile and online payments to emerging markets reached a record high of $528 billion and we expect this number to increase.
鈥淎s WorldRemit handles a growing share of this market, we look forward to continue working with the company to scale its digital platform and expand its service to reach many new customers across the globe.鈥�
Accel鈥檚 Harry Nelis said: 鈥淗aving first partnered with the WorldRemit team in 2014, I have seen the company grow from a London-founded startup to a global business pioneering the future of the remittance market and making international mobile payments more accessible and affordable for millions of individuals and businesses.
鈥淭his investment and CEO Breon Corcoran鈥檚 experience leading consumer service-oriented, global digital businesses will help fuel the next phase of global growth.
鈥淲e are excited to deepen our relationship with the team and help them fulfil the company鈥檚 vast potential.鈥�