Mainstream banking giant Santander added available regions for its One Pay FX international payments app built in collaboration with blockchain and crypto payments outfit Ripple.
A forward-thinking entity, Santander constructed One Pay FX as a borderless blockchain-based payment channel, in the form of an app, according to a statement posted by Ripple on July 9. Building the app alongside Ripple, Santander launched the app in 2018.
Formerly only available in the United Kingdom, Spain, Poland and Brazil, One Pay FX now enables users from additional regions. "One Pay FX has been launched in six countries and payments can be sent to two dozen countries, including all the euro zone," the statement said.
Customer feedback spurred the move
"Customers told us that the international payments process could be better so we partnered with Ripple to explore how blockchain could make transactions faster, cheaper and more transparent," Ed Metzger, CTO of One Pay FX said in the statement.
Metzger described feedback from customers noting difficulties with transaction exchange rate clarity and timing confusion.
Metzger explained:
“Ripple helps us directly address the issues raised by our customers [...] Whether they are putting down a deposit on a holiday rental or paying a foreign supplier, they see exactly how much will arrive when they’re making the payment and have certainty about when it will get there."
Additionally, Metzger noted the app, with its Ripple tech, improves other areas, such as global transfer times.
*This article was updated for clarity.
UPDATE July 14, 16:36 UTC: This article has been updated to reflect details Ripple and Santander changed after initial publication.