[rostigerpudel]

Just looked it up for Western Union: To transfer 2000€ from Germany to a Chilean bank account, you pay a fee of 0.90€. The currency exchange spread adds 13.32€ to the costs. Transfer time is between 0-4 work days.

If you want to have cash in hand within minutes, they offer that too, albeit with a hefty surcharge.

With Bitcoin, you have to pay an on-ramp and an off-ramp because EUR->Bitcoin->CLP, which will be hard to get done cheaper than the WU currency exchange spread (introductory offers don't count, so keep your anecdote). Given current Bitcoin volatility you need to do the currency exchange quickly or you may have a hodl moment and have to wait for Bitcoin to regain its value.

I really fail to see where the great savings from carrying out such a transaction via Bitcoin are supposed to come from, in particular when take into account the number of intermediaries I have to interact with and trust and the technical complexity involved in handling Bitcoin. People are always willing to pay a small fee for comfort and security.

[jiriknesl]

Western Union doesn't have business accounts in most of countries. Normal transaction doesn't allow Business -> Business payments. They cannot send money to Iran (where we also have partners).

But you are right. Their fees are way cheaper than bank & Payoneer.

Ad on-ramp&off-ramp - sure. This is a temporary situation in which it adds some expense. Hopefully, people will have a chance to have cards refilled directly with cryptocurrencies worldwide (they already exist for major countries).