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2020: A Year in Review

2020: A Year in Review

December 23, 2020 5 min read

2020: A Year in Review

There’s no denying that 2020 has been a challenging year for everyone. However, it has taught us a great lesson in gratitude, solidarity, and resilience. That’s why we want to close off this year reviewing the many achievements we were able to accomplish as a team, spread out across the world, working from the comfort and chaos of our homes.

The Ria Heroes

This year, more than ever, we owe everything to our frontline workers. Thanks to their grit and their commitment to our customers, we were able to keep our doors open when our communities needed us most.

To thank them, we launched the Ria Heroes campaign, featuring pictures and videos from our store tellers around the world.

Watch the video here: #RiaHeroes – Celebrating Our Front Lines in Times of COVID-19

At the same time, we wanted to celebrate our customers who also risked their lives to continue providing for their loved ones throughout this year. To thank and encourage them, we launched the #DistanceIsNoMatch campaign on social media, a message of hope and resilience in times of global lockdowns. Even if we don’t get to see each other, distance is no match for love.

Sports sponsorships

Although we officially started with Atlético de Madrid at the end last year, it was 2020 that saw the true beginning of our collaboration. Our most notable campaign of the year was the “As Far as You Want to Go” video we launched alongside the Women’s Team for International Women’s Day.

Through a series of heartfelt interviews, the players talked about their football journeys: how they fell in love with the sport, the setbacks they faced, and how they persevered until earning a spot on one of the most successful women’s football clubs in history.

Watch the video here: As Far as You Want to Go ⁠— Ria Money Transfer & Atlético de Madrid Honor International Women’s Day

Despite the pandemic, we’ve also started making our way into other football leagues that are dear to our customers. We’re the new back-of-shirt sponsors for the Ukrainian team FC Minay, a team that, like us, built its way quickly from the ground up. We’re excited for what’s to come this season alongside such a passionate team.

Post Offices Expansion

We’re all about flexibility and convenience, which is why we’re thrilled to keep joining forces with post offices around the world. As experienced couriers, post offices know exactly where branches are needed and are familiar locations for our customers. This way, we can meet them where they are.

This year has seen the launch of bPost, Austrian Post, Ukraine Post, Jordan Post, POS Indonesia, and Moldova Post, to name a few.

Strategic Partnerships

In the same line as post offices, we were able to expand our presence in large chain retailers this year. You can now send money with Ria at any Kroger and El Super locations in the US. Also, we’ve strengthened our partnership with Walmart, now offering domestic and international money transfers from all Walmart stores across the US!

Neobanks and mobile wallets

2020 has also been a big year for online solutions. We’ve added neobanks like Nickel to our roster and mobile wallet partners like Thunes and Alipay. This means millions of customers can now receive money straight into their online accounts without the need to leave their house or live close to a Ria location.

Digital Expansion in Europe

On that note, the Ria Money Transfer app also made its debut in Europe. Now, customers can send money from home or on the go in Italy, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Austria, and Ireland, as well as the US and Canada.


You can download the app here!

A new look

For many years, Ria had been growing at an exponential rate all over the world. While we prioritized growth and finding new ways to provide an even better service for our customers, it took a toll on our brand. So, we wanted to create a new brand identity that could speak to our history and our diverse customer base. More importantly, the rebranding effort was an opportunity to come together with fresh ideas and our understanding of what it means to be a part of the Ria family.

We had been working on a rebrand for many months before COVID became a thing. That meant the project had to be finished remotely, with trainings and presentations happening online for a global workforce. While coordinating time zones and bandwidths was challenging, it embodied the essence behind our new brand.

Ria is about going the extra mile to ensure things are simple for our customers. It’s not about cutting corners or selling empty promises. At Ria, we do the hard work to open ways for a better everyday life. Together, we believe we can create a world in which people are empowered to build the life they dream of, no matter who they are or where they are. One customer, one family, one community at a time.

Watch the video here: Introducing our New Ria Brand!

As we say our goodbyes to 2020, we’re grateful for our team of nearly 4,000 colleagues who never stopped believing. Even in the darkest of times, the Ria spirit persisted. We grew fast and well when our customers and communities needed us most. So, as trying as this year was, we’re proud of our customers and colleagues who rose to the challenge.

We wish you and yours an amazing 2021, one that is strengthened by the lessons learned this year. May the comradery and love we’ve cultivated this year stay with us for decades to come.

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