What Paylink does

PayLink (legal entity WorldBridge – Payment Institute S.A.) is a Greek licensed payment institution supervised by the Bank of Greece and the principal Western Union agent in Greece since 1991. The company operates a multi-channel money transfer and bill payment platform accessible via a website (westernunion.gr), iOS and Android mobile apps, a phone-order customer service center, and a physical network of more than 1,300 service points spanning independent retailers and mainstream chains such as AB Vassilopoulos (AB Βασιλόπουλος). Through its Western Union partnership, PayLink provides access to a global network of 550,000+ agent locations across 200+ countries and 130 currencies, supporting cash pickup, direct-to-bank-account transfers, and online sends.

The product set is centered on cross-border remittances (online money transfer, cash pickup, direct to bank account, phone order), a bill payment aggregator covering 600+ billers across utilities, telecommunications, insurance, and government, and PayByBank, an automated bank-transfer payment gateway that processes merchant payments via the customer's e-banking environment. Core technical integrations are with the four major Greek systemic banks (National Bank of Greece, Piraeus, Alpha Bank, Eurobank) for funding, and with Piraeus Bank ePOS for card processing via 3D Secure. Compliance posture includes GDPR conformity, an information security policy aligned with ISO 27001 principles, and AML/sanctions screening against OFAC and EU lists.

PayLink monetizes via transaction fees on money transfers (varying by destination, amount, and channel), a structured bill payment fee schedule (€0.50 online up to €199.99, 0.275% above €200; €1 at most service points, €1.50 for some public sector billers), foreign exchange margin on currency conversion, and commission share from the 1,300+ associate service point network. Customer segments are individual consumers (migrants, expatriates, Greek residents) for retail money transfer and bill payment, and small business owners who act as associate agents and earn per-transaction commissions. The company is privately held, has 101–250 employees, and discloses no funding rounds or institutional investors; revenue is not publicly reported.

Name

Paylink

Legal name

WorldBridge – Payment Institute S.A.

Website

https://westernunion.gr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

PayLink is the principal Western Union agent in Greece since 1991, offering multi-channel money transfer and bill payment services to consumers and small businesses through 1,300+ service points, a mobile app, and online channels under Bank of Greece supervision.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Remittance and Payment Services

NAICS

Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232)

akta.pro primary industry

Agent-Assisted / Retail Bill Payment Networks (FSAMAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Bank-to-Bank Transfers & Pay-by-Bank (Consumer & Merchant) (FSAMAFAC)

Keywords

• Money transfer services
• Bill payment services
• Remittance services
• Payment institution
• Foreign exchange services

Headquarters

HQ city

Athens

HQ country

Greece

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Money Transfer Fees: Commission charged on international and domestic money transfers conducted online, via mobile app, phone, or at service points. Fees vary by transfer amount, destination, and channel.
2. Bill Payment Commission: Transaction fees on bill payments at service points. The fee is €1 for the majority of organizations and €1.50 for some public sector organizations. Online bill payments cost €0.50 per transaction up to €199.99, and 0.275% for transactions of €200 and above.
3. Foreign Exchange Margin: Revenue generated from currency exchange margins when converting currencies for international money transfers. Western Union calculates exchange rates based on commercially available interbank rates plus a margin.
4. Associate Commission Revenue: Commission earned from the network of 1,300+ associate partners who process money transfers and bill payments. Associates earn commission on every transaction processed through their locations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Paylink operates as the principal Western Union agent in Greece, providing multi-channel money transfer and bill payment services to consumers. Customers can send and receive money in 130 currencies across 200+ countries via the web, mobile app, phone, or 1,300+ physical service points, and pay utility, telecom, insurance, and government bills through a network covering 600+ billers. The PayByBank product additionally provides merchants with an automated bank transfer payment gateway.

Product overview

Paylink operates as the principal Western Union agent in Greece, offering a multi-channel financial services platform centered on money transfers and bill payments. The core offering comprises online and mobile money transfers (via the Western Union – PayLink app), cash pickup at 1,300+ physical service points, phone order transfers, direct-to-bank-account transfers, and a bill payment service covering 400+ billers across energy, telecommunications, water, insurance, and public sector. An additional product is PayByBank, an automated bank transfer payment gateway for eshops. The service points network includes independent retailers and major chains like AB Vasilopoulos. All services are accessible through the same customer account infrastructure with MTCN tracking and operate under Bank of Greece licensing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Online Money Transfer Send money online via the westernunion.gr website or mobile app using card payment or PayByBank bank transfer. Supports delivery to recipient bank accounts and cash pickup at 1,300+ service points across Greece. Targeted at individual consumers in Greece needing domestic or international money transfers.
• Western Union – PayLink Mobile App Mobile application for iOS and Android that allows individual consumers to send money, calculate transfer fees, track transfers with MTCN, and locate nearby Western Union – PayLink service points.
• Cash Pickup Service Send or receive cash in minutes at any of the 1,300+ Paylink service locations across Greece by presenting valid ID and the MTCN tracking number. Available to individual consumers sending or receiving money transfers.
• Phone Order Money Transfer Telephone-based money transfer service. Customers call the Paylink customer service center, receive an MTCN and payment code, then complete the transfer by depositing funds via bank transfer at partner banks. First-time senders are limited to €150. Targeted at individual consumers who prefer phone-based service.
• Direct to Bank Account Transfers Send money directly to a recipient's bank account in Greece or internationally, using the recipient's IBAN and bank account details. Targeted at individual consumers wanting direct account-to-account transfers instead of cash pickup.
• Bill Payment Service Pay utility bills, public sector payments, insurance premiums, and other bills at physical service points or online. Covers over 600 billers across energy, telecommunications, water, insurance, and government. Fees: €1 per transaction at service points for most billers and €1.50 for some public sector organizations; €0.50 online per transaction up to €199.99 and 0.275% for €200 and above. Targeted at individual Greek consumers paying household and personal bills.
• PayByBank Payment Gateway Automated bank transfer payment method for online merchants (eshops). Customers select PayByBank at checkout, receive a code by email or SMS, and complete payment through their bank's e-banking environment; the merchant is notified automatically upon completion. Powered through Piraeus Bank ePOS for card payments (3D Secure) and integrated with partner banks for direct transfers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,300 service points across Greece
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and supporting.

• AB Βασιλόπουλος (AB Vassilopoulos)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2026PayLink – Western Union expanded its presence to all AB Vassilopoulos supermarket locations. This retail partnership enables customers to pay bills and access money transfer services at AB Vassilopoulos stores across Greece, leveraging the supermarket chain's extensive retail footprint.
• Western UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1991PayLink has been the principal Western Union representative (Κύριος Αντιπρόσωπος) in Greece since 1991. The partnership grants PayLink the right to offer Western Union money transfer services and use the Western Union brand. Western Union provides the global network infrastructure, technology platform, and brand while PayLink manages the Greek market through its service point network.
• National Bank of GreecesupportingOthersOne of the partner banks for PayByBank and phone order bank transfer payments. Customers can transfer funds to PayLink accounts at National Bank of Greece using reference codes.
• Piraeus BanksupportingOthersPartner bank for PayByBank and phone order payments. PayByBank payment gateway is powered through Piraeus Bank's ePOS for card payments (3D secure). Customers can transfer funds to PayLink accounts at Piraeus Bank.
• Alpha BanksupportingOthersPartner bank for PayByBank and phone order bank transfer payments. Customers can transfer funds to PayLink accounts at Alpha Bank using reference codes.
• EurobanksupportingOthersPartner bank for PayByBank and phone order bank transfer payments. Customers can transfer funds to PayLink accounts at Eurobank using reference codes.
• Over 600 Billers (Utilities, Telecom, Insurance, Government)supportingOthersBill payment service covers over 600 billers including major energy providers (ΔΕΗ, Ηρών, Elpedison, NRG, Protergia, etc.), telecommunications companies (COSMOTE, Vodafone, Wind), insurance companies (Allianz, AXA, Generali, etc.), water utilities (ΕΥΔΑΠ, ΕΥΑΘ, ΔΕΥΑ), and government organizations (ΕΦΚΑ, e-ΠΑΡΑΒΟΛΟ, traffic fees).

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Western Union: Parent counterparty and global brand owner of the money-transfer product PayLink distributes. Comparable as the platform/brand owner behind PayLink's remittance offering and as a global incumbent defining customer expectations in the category.
• Euronet Worldwide: Global payments processor with money-transfer, ATM, and card acquiring services. Comparable as a multi-vertical payment infrastructure company operating across remittance, bill pay, and electronic payments in European markets.
• Worldline: European payment services provider with merchant acquiring, payment gateway, and digital services. Comparable as a Europe-wide payment infrastructure incumbent serving merchants and financial institutions in adjacent lines of business to PayLink.
• PayPal (Xoom): Global digital payments incumbent with cross-border transfer capability through Xoom. Overlaps with PayLink's money transfer value proposition for digitally-native Greek consumers and competes for online senders.

Emerging players

• WorldRemit: Digital cross-border money transfer service covering mobile wallet, bank deposit, and cash pickup delivery. Comparable in offering international P2P transfers, including cash pickup endpoints that overlap with PayLink's service point model.
• Wise: Digital-first cross-border money transfer platform that competes directly for the same Greek remittance senders PayLink serves, but bypasses the agent network model. Relevant as the disruptive alternative defining fee/transparency expectations in the same category.
• Revolut: Multi-currency digital wallet offering in-app international transfers at interbank rates. Highly relevant in the Greek consumer market, where Revolut competes for the same migrant/expat remittance sender segment PayLink serves.
• Remitly: Digital remittance specialist focused on immigrant senders sending money to family abroad. Directly competes for the migrant remittance persona that constitutes a primary customer segment for PayLink's Western Union service.

Direct peers

• MoneyGram: Western Union's principal global competitor in agent-based cross-border money transfer. Directly comparable as a traditional remittance network relying on physical retail service points plus digital channels, with overlapping customer use cases (P2P remittances, bill pay, bank deposits).

Regional players

• Viva Wallet: Greek-headquartered merchant payment processor offering POS, e-commerce, and business accounts. Comparable as a Greek payment-services competitor with overlapping merchant acquiring and SMB payment relationships, even though its core product is acquiring rather than remittance.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCp6Q27xaRjp1EIbjaR_N_Ug
• Facebookfacebook.com/paylink.westernunion.greece
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/christopher-c.-varvias-&-associates-sa-principal-agent-of-western-union-in-greece
• Instagraminstagram.com/paylink_western_union

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Paylink