Zūm Rails and Western Union Deliver Real Time Global Transfers

Fintech Partnership | June 19, 2025

Image: Freepik

Interac e‑Transfer Now Powers Instant International Payouts via New Fintech Integration

Canadian fintech platform Zūm Rails has partnered with Western Union Canada to offer real time global money transfers. Using Interac e‑Transfer and Zūm’s API infrastructure, Canadian users can now send money to recipients in over 200 countries from their bank accounts, with funds delivered in minutes.

The partnership combines Zūm’s compliance and payment engine with Western Union’s international remittance network. Funds move through Interac e‑Transfer in Canada, then settle globally through Western Union’s infrastructure. The result is faster payouts, a simplified user experience, and improved access for both individuals and small businesses.

Blueprint for Fintech‑Bank Collaboration

The new money transfer system allows customers to use a familiar Interac e‑Transfer interface, with Zūm Rails acting as the engine behind the scenes. Its role includes API routing, onboarding, compliance, and settlement integration. The entire experience is designed to run seamlessly on mobile or desktop.

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For Canadian fintechs, this type of architecture demonstrates how open APIs and established networks can combine to deliver immediate value without needing to rebuild global infrastructure from scratch.

Craig Asano, NCFA Founding CEO:

“Zūm Rails’ API‑first approach and Western Union’s global network show how Canadian fintechs can lead in both innovation and scale.”

Benefits for Businesses and Global Trade

Many Canadian Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) rely on global suppliers, freelance talent, or overseas partners but traditional international transfers can take several days and often carry high fees or lack transparency. So the ability to send or receive cross-border payments instantly delivers major benefits.

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By moving funds in real time, companies enjoy faster access to working capital, can pay contractors on time, and support better financial planning.  Moving money faster also improves the customer experience for refunds or disbursements, which all helps to build trust.

Canadian Fintech Infrastructure is Changing

This partnership is in line with broader trends in Canadian payments. The federal government is advancing Open Banking through the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, while Payments Canada continues to develop the real time rail (RTR) system.

Although those frameworks are still being finalized, Zūm Rails and Western Union are already showing what real time payments can look like in action.

The use of Interac e‑Transfer as a launchpad demonstrates the importance of maintaining open access to Canada’s core infrastructure.  As global money movement becomes faster and faster, financial institutions are turning to fintechs for agile solutions.

Outlook

Real time global payments are here, and they are being built in Canada. Zūm Rails and Western Union have shown how fintech can unlock new speed and scale by using trusted domestic rails and global infrastructure.

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This partnership could impact open payments in Canada and offers a live case study of innovation already in market, and is a good example of how large players can approach platform collaboration, embedded finance, and cross-border transaction design.

The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org

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