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Western Union Alternatives to Send Money to Russia in 2024

Jul 13, 2023
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On March 1st, 2022, Russia was hit by international sanctions, making it very difficult to buy Russian rubles abroad or convert foreign currency into Russian rubles. In addition to international sanctions, companies have also engaged in private boycotts against Russia. This includes many international money transfer companies like Western Union and MoneyGram.

Can I Send Money to Russia With Western Union in 2023?

No, Western Union has suspended their international money transfer services to and from Russia. Western Union's services to Belarus have also been suspended.

Western Union is not the only money transfer service to do this though. Almost all of the other major online money transfer companies have also suspended their services, making it very difficult to buy Russian rubles or remit money to Russian friends and family.

Here is a list of popular money transfer services, all of which no longer serve Russian corridors as of 2023:

Western Union Alternatives to Send Money to Russia in 2023

International sanctions via the SWIFT network and private boycotts from companies like Western Union have limited people's options to make money transfers to the country. Below, we discuss potential ways to still send money abroad to Russia:

1 — Emergency Transfer of Funds to Russia

If you know a foreigner living or temporarily destitute in Russia, then their nation's embassy in Russia may be able to assist you. For example, in some cases, funds can be wired through the U.S. Department of State to U.S. citizens in Russia.

This option will require you to reach out to the relevant embassy and request case-by-case assistance for foreign nationals (or dual citizens) in Russia.

2 — Cryptocurrency

Some people have reported resorting to cryptocurrencies to send money to individuals in Russia. However, this is a rapidly changing and volatile industry. It is best to inquire directly with your cryptocurrency company and crypto wallet about money transfers into or out of Russia.

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Be aware that cryptocurrency markets are exceptionally volatile, meaning that the value of your recipient's coins can change drastically once it is in their possession.

3 — Search For Available Providers

Until recently, Profee was the only money transfer provider offering international transfers to Russia from the EU/EEA and the UK. However, increasing regulatory pressure seems to have even squeezed them out of the market recently.

As a result, as of December 2023, there are practically no viable options for sending money to Russia from overseas, even to non-sanctioned Russian banks. Still, it's worth checking out our real-time money transfer comparison engine. Our team of experts constantly keeps an eye on the market and selects services that are reliable, secure and approved by the financial authorities of the countries in which they operate:

See if any providers are currently available to Russia:

It is likely that at the time of your search, no service can carry out your transfer to Russia. If this is the case, we invite you to leave your e-mail address below so that we can inform you when a new service provider is added to our comparison search engine. Please note that we are constantly updating our database and doing our best to recommend the best transfer services on the market.

Want to Receive Updates on the Situation?

Our team keeps a close eye on FX markets worldwide. Enter your email and preferred country for sending money to Russia, and you'll be the first to know about any changes or new providers:

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References Used In This Guide

1. Wikipedia. SWIFT ban against Russian banks. Accessed 20 September 2022.
2. Western Union. Sending money to and from Russia and Belarus. 29 April 2022.
3. U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Russia. Emergency Transfer of Funds to Russia. Accessed 20 September 2022.
4. Gov.uk. Foreign travel advice: Russia. Accessed 20 September 2022.
5. Wise. Send money to Russia. Accessed 20 September 2022.
6. CDLA. Is it Illegal to Send Money to Russia? 30 April 2022.
7. Protocol.com. Money-transfer companies are getting swept into the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Accessed 20 September 2022.

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The article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a source of law. The editors of the website make every effort to ensure that all published information is reliable and up-to-date, however, they do not constitute a binding interpretation of the applicable legal provisions.

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