BREAKING: Western Union Drops $500M Bomb—Acquires Ripple’s Key ODL Partner Intermex

Western Union just flexed its remittance muscles with a half-billion-dollar power move—snatching up Ripple's On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) ally Intermex. The deal shakes the cross-border payments arena right as crypto rails gain traction.

Why it matters: This isn’t your grandpa’s wire transfer play. Intermex’s ODL integration lets Western Union bypass correspondent banks—slashing costs and settlement times with Ripple’s XRP-powered magic. Legacy finance meets crypto efficiency.

The cynical take: Because nothing says ‘innovation’ like a 170-year-old company buying its way into blockchain relevance. At least they didn’t waste the cash on stock buybacks this time.

Bottom line: The money-movers are getting serious about crypto infrastructure. When the dinosaurs start adapting, you know the meteor’s already hit.