Global: Zepz buys Pomelo International to expand beyond remittances

London-based money transfer outfit Zepz has acquired Pomelo International, a credit-building remittance app and card. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

San Francisco-based Pomelo, which raised $35 million in Series A funding in 2024, has built a platform that integrates consumer credit and global remittances with a credit card designed for money transfer.

Zepz, which operates WorldRemit and Sendwave, says Pomelo helps it evolve beyond remittances, enabling the company to support more of the financial lives of cross-border communities and underserved customers across the Global South.

Specifically, Pomelo’s capabilities in cards, lending and credit building complement Zepz’s strengths in global payments, enabling customers to access a more complete set of financial tools over time.

The deal strengthens Zepz’s position in the Philippines, a huge market where Pomelo – not to be confused with the Argentinian payments startup of the same name – has a strong presence.

Pomelo’s team is joining Zepz but the Pomelo product has been temporarily paused for customers while it is integrated into the product roadmap.

Mark Lenhard, CEO, Zepz, says: “Pomelo is a strong product built by a fantastic team, and we’re looking forward to extending these capabilities together over the long term.”