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Business and Basis of Presentation
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Business and Basis of Presentation

1. Business and Basis of Presentation

Business

The Western Union Company (“Western Union” or the “Company”) is a leader in global money movement and payment services, providing people and businesses with fast, reliable, and convenient ways to send money and make payments around the world. The Western Union® brand is globally recognized. The Company’s services are available through a network of agent locations in more than 200 countries and territories and also through money transfer transactions conducted and funded through websites and mobile applications marketed under the Company’s brands (“Branded Digital”) and transactions initiated on internet and mobile applications hosted by the Company’s third-party white label or co-branded digital partners. Each location in the Company’s agent network is capable of providing one or more of the Company’s services.

The Western Union business consists of the following segments:

Consumer-to-Consumer - The Consumer-to-Consumer operating segment facilitates money transfers, which are primarily sent from retail agent locations worldwide or through websites and mobile devices. The Company’s money transfer service is provided through one interconnected global network. This service is available for international cross-border transfers and, in certain countries, intra-country transfers.
Business Solutions - The Business Solutions operating segment facilitates payment and foreign exchange solutions, primarily cross-border, cross-currency transactions, for small and medium size enterprises and other organizations and individuals. The significant majority of the Business Solutions business relates to exchanges of currency at spot rates, which enable customers to make cross-currency payments. In addition, in limited countries, the Company writes foreign currency forward and option contracts for customers to facilitate future payments. On August 4, 2021, the Company entered into an agreement to sell its Business Solutions business to Goldfinch Partners LLC and The Baupost Group LLC. The first closing occurred on March 1, 2022, the second occurred on December 31, 2022, and the third closing is expected in the second quarter of 2023. See Note 5 for further information regarding this transaction. The Buyer has rebranded the sold operations within a new standalone company (now referred to as "Convera").

All businesses and other services that have not been classified in the above segments are reported as Other, which primarily includes the Company’s bill payment services which facilitate payments from consumers to businesses and other organizations and the Company’s money order services. Certain of the Company's corporate costs such as costs related to strategic initiatives, including costs for the review and closing of mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, are also included in Other. See Note 18 for further information regarding the Company’s segments.

There are legal or regulatory limitations on transferring certain assets of the Company outside of the countries where these assets are located. However, there are generally no limitations on the use of these assets within those countries. Additionally, the Company must meet minimum capital requirements in some countries in order to maintain operating licenses. As of December 31, 2022, the Company's restricted net assets associated with these asset limitations and minimum capital requirements totaled approximately $710 million.

Various aspects of the Company’s services and businesses are subject to United States federal, state, and local regulation, as well as regulation by foreign jurisdictions, including certain banking and other financial services regulations.

Basis of Presentation

The financial statements in this Annual Report on Form 10‑K are presented on a consolidated basis and include the accounts of the Company and its majority-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated.

Consistent with industry practice, the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets are unclassified due to the short-term nature of the Company’s settlement obligations contrasted with the Company’s ability to invest cash awaiting settlement in long-term investment securities.