How do you start a money transfer business?

You start a money transfer business by obtaining the appropriate licenses, determining if you will operate online or have a storefront, and obtaining remittance software.

The first step in starting a money transfer business is understanding the rules and regulations that come along with it. While starting a money transfer business can be lucrative and rewarding, there certainly are some hurdles you will have to jump over first.

You will be dealing with people's money, and the government will want to ensure you are not using your business for illegal business dealings. So you will have to be prepared to be transparent. This means ensuring that your business follows all the necessary guidelines and regulations.

First, you will need to obtain a license to transmit money in the individual state you will be operating. Almost all states have a license requirement to transmit money within state borders, and you will have to check with your state government (check their online website) to determine what you need.

Next, the U.S government will want to know what you are up to and how to track you. They will also want to ensure you are not involved in money-laundering schemes. To that end, you must file a FinCEN Form 107 with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) at the U.S. Treasury Department.

This is required within 180 days of starting your business under the Bank Secrecy Act, which regulates money transfer services acting as non-bank entities. Once you have the appropriate licenses, you need to start building your business and determining how you want to operate.

Because you will be transferring money to various banks, you will want to establish relationships with them. You will need to fill out forms with the U.S. government to open a merchant bank account that can be used to transfer your clients' money to other banks.

Pay attention to government rules and be sure not to break any. For instance, there is a list of countries where you cannot wire money. The government also imposes caps on fees charged. You will also need to ensure that your website is protected from fraud and hacking or maintain security at your physical location.

You must be adaptable and alert, as the rules governing money transfers constantly change. As technology, security, and international relations evolve, so will your market and business.

One of the other decisions you will need to make is if you want to operate as an online company or to have a storefront. Operating online will save you overhead costs, but you will be limited to working with digital currency only as you will not have a location where customers can conduct business with cash.

It is important to consider that you are also limiting your clientele, as some customers want a human being to interact with rather than an online-only presence.

Regardless of whether or not you choose to operate as a storefront or an entirely online business, you will need to have remittance software. Remittance software allows you to manage your money transfer business in one place. It manages the transfer of funds from senders to receivers.

It also facilitates the exchange of money in different currencies, applies exchange rates, and handles payouts between different subsidiaries. These software programs will also allow you to run transaction reports and reconciliations.

When looking into software options, it is important to consider additional technology services like anti-money laundering and fraud detection.