Wallets/sendwave
Sendwave
0 standards supported
Overview
Sendwave is a mobile-first, low/zero-fee remittance app specializing in fast transfers from the diaspora to Africa and Asia, now operated by Zepz Group 1, 2. Founded in 2014 (originally as Sendwave/Wave, distinct from the West-African mobile-money company Wave Mobile Money (West Africa)), it built a reputation for near-instant, app-only transfers into mobile-money wallets. WorldRemit acquired Sendwave in 2020 for ~$500M, and it now operates as a sibling consumer brand to WorldRemit (Zepz) under Zepz 2.
History
2014 — Founded as Sendwave (then "Wave") 1 by Drew Durbin and Lincoln Quirk; focused on cheap, instant transfers to Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania and beyond.
2017-2019 — Mobile-money corridor growth 1: Deep integration with M-Pesa, MTN MoMo and other African mobile-money networks.
2020 — Acquired by WorldRemit (~$500M) 2: Becomes part of the group that rebrands to Zepz in 2021; the West-African mobile-money sibling spins out as Wave (now Wave Mobile Money (West Africa)).
2021-2025 — Operates within Zepz 2: Sendwave retained as a low-fee, mobile-first brand alongside WorldRemit.
Ownership & operator
Operating entity: Zepz Group (London) — Sendwave is a consumer brand of Zepz.
Founders: Drew Durbin and Lincoln Quirk (who also founded the West-African mobile-money company Wave).
Regulators:
- United States: FinCEN MSB + state money-transmitter licenses (via Zepz).
- United Kingdom: FCA authorisation (via Zepz).
- Other markets: per-country financial regulators.
Technical integration
Sendwave is an app-only digital remittance 1:
| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| Channels | Sendwave app (iOS + Android) — mobile only |
| Identifiers | Recipient phone number (mobile money) + bank account |
| Funding | Sender debit/credit card, bank transfer |
| Payout rails | Mobile money (M-Pesa, MTN MoMo, Airtel, Orange) + bank deposit |
| Focus | Low/zero-fee corridors into Africa and Asia |
Implementations & partners
Operator: Zepz Group (sibling brand to WorldRemit (Zepz)).
Payout partners: M-Pesa (Safaricom), MTN MoMo, Airtel Money, Orange Money and banks across Africa/Asia.
Competitors: TapTap Send, Remitly, WorldRemit (Zepz), Western Union, MoneyGram, Wave.
Status
Active, low-fee diaspora remittance brand under Zepz 1, 2:
- Zepz Group (London) — sibling to WorldRemit.
- Mobile-first, low/zero-fee corridors into Africa/Asia.
- Acquired by WorldRemit in 2020 for ~$500M.
Sources
Source
Biography extracted from sendwave.md. See matrix.md for standards-support matrix if present.