Visa Releases Money Travels: 2025 Digital Remittances Adoption Report for North America

Visa Remittances Report 2025 explores how digital channels are reshaping remittance behaviors across North America. This latest research from Visa’s Money Travels series highlights consumer expectations for speed, security, and low fees when transferring funds across borders.

Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) today unveiled its Money Travels: 2025 Digital Remittances Adoption Report, highlighting the growing influence of digital remittance applications in North America, driven by convenience, security, and user-friendly experiences.

“Digital remittances are being embraced across North America due to their ease of use, reliability, and improved security,” said Ben Ellis, SVP and Head of Visa B2B Connect. “As digital remittances become more prevalent, transparency and customer satisfaction will be essential to meet evolving consumer expectations.”

Key Findings for North America

Digital App Dominance:

App Preference: In the U.S., 69% of surveyed respondents prefer using digital apps for sending remittances, while 61% prefer using them for receiving. In Canada, the preference is similarly strong, with 65% preferring digital apps for both sending and receiving.

Traditional Methods Lag: The use of traditional methods like cash or checks is declining, with only 5% to 8% of respondents in the U.S. and 3% to 6% of respondents in Canada favoring these options.

Ease of Use:

Ease and Peace of Mind: A significant portion of surveyed respondents in the U.S. (38%/34%) and Canada (45%/40%) appreciate the ease of using digital apps for remittances, while security and privacy are crucial for 36% of U.S. survey respondents and 40% of Canadian survey respondents.

Primary Reasons: Unexpected needs (36% in the U.S., 32% in Canada) remain the top reason for sending remittances for survey respondents, followed by holidays and special occasions.

Pain Points:

Fees: High fees remain a concern, with 27% of U.S. and 30% of Canadian respondents citing this as a major issue when sending digitally.

Traditional methods and hidden fees: 35% of U.S. and 28% of respondents said they had experienced some kind of hidden fee when using cash, checks or money orders

With one billion people globally involved in remittances and stable engagement in North America, Visa continues to innovate with solutions like stablecoins to help enhance cost-efficiency and broaden financial access.

“Digital remittances have revolutionized the industry and offer consumers more options than ever before to send funds, but there’s still room for further innovation,” added Luba Goldberg, SVP, Visa Direct Product. “Continued expansion of digital options to send money around the world, and emerging technologies such as stablecoins, are poised to improve the speed, cost, and security of international remittances.”