Citibank testing card transfer card in Mexico

NEW York – Citibank has begun testing a card which card users in Mexico will be able to use to access cash in accounts in the United States, according to the American Banker. Cardholders do not even have to have bank accounts in Mexico under the program. The bank is testing the card in 26 branches in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Customers pay $5 per month to maintain an account and a per-withdrawal fee of $7.95. There is no surcharge on Mexican recipients who use the cards, the paper reported. According to Citibank the cards are accepted at 20,000 ATMs in Mexico, including the 4,400 owned by its Mexican subsidiary. In May, Bank of America Corp. launched a similar product called SafeSend, which can be tied to any bank account, not just Bank of America’s. SafeSend money transfers cost $10 each for Bank of America account holders and $15 for others. First Data Corp.’s Western Union and Concord EFS Inc. also have card products designed to facilitate money transfers to Mexico from the United States.