Ripple-Based Remittance Firm SendFriend Claims to Save Up to 80% in Fees

Blockchain-based money transfer startup SendFriend utilizes Ripple’s technology to save up to 80% in remittance fees, according to a blog post published on Dec. 12.

SendFriend uses Ripple’s xRapid product for cross-border payments, converting between the United States dollar, XRP and Philippine pesos and circumventing the longer process of traditional banking systems.

Philippines-focused remittance platform

SendFriend’s money transfer app aimed at reducing annual remittance fees for cross-border Filipino workers claims to lower such transaction costs by up to 75%. What makes it possible, according to the startup’s CEO, David Lighton, is RippleNet’s On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) technology.

With ODL, RippleNet’s users can utilize digital token XRP to bridge two currencies in three seconds. “We can now source liquidity, on-demand and depress those transaction costs by up to 75%,” said Lighton, and further added that the firm managed to reduce charge up to 2%.

Blockchain payment network enhancement

SendFriend joined the RippleNet payment network in January, along with other financial industry players such as JNFX, Transpaygo, FTCS and Euro Exim Bank. In February, SendFriend received $1.7 million in investments from Ripple, the Mastercard Foundation, MIT Media Lab and Barclays among others in a funding round. 

In late July, Chile-based peer-to-peer remittance company CurrencyBird also joined RippleNet. The partnership ostensibly allows CurrencyBird to add new routes to its more than 50 already existing destinations, new currencies, better prices and faster transfer speeds.

That same month, in a bid to drive greater financial inclusion, Philippines-based UnionBank launched a payments-focused stablecoin pegged to the Philippine peso.