Japan’s Top Remittance App "Smiles" Launches in U.S., Targeting USD 50bn+ Migrant Market
Tokyo-based FinTech firm Digital Wallet Group (DWG) has launched its flagship remittance platform, Smiles Mobile Remittance, in the United States. The move marks a significant North American expansion for the company as it targets the country's estimated 51.9 million migrant population.
Smiles, which launched in 2017 and has captured the top spot among mobile international money transfer services in Japan, positions itself as a high-tech, low-cost solution for overseas workers. Developed by former Sony engineers and designers, the platform integrates artificial intelligence (AI) and facial recognition to streamline security and transactions. The app currently boasts over 1 million downloads and previously secured Japan’s 2021 Good Design Award for its functionality.
The U.S. launch follows DWG's strategic expansion across nine countries, including Canada, Singapore, and major hubs within the ASEAN region. A key driver of the platform's cross-border ecosystem is its alliance with the Philippine National Bank (PNB), which supports its dominant market share among overseas Filipino workers.
According to DWG Founder and CEO Eiji Miyakawa, the U.S. entry is a pivotal step in the firm's global strategy. "The launch in the United States is a major step in our mission to unite the international society globally," Miyakawa stated, noting that the platform will offer U.S. users the same real-time speeds, transparent fee structures, and native multilingual support that fueled its growth in Asia.
DWG, founded in 2014, previously scaled its domestic infrastructure by acquiring the remittance business of the Seven-Eleven Group, giving it access to Japan's largest ATM network. With its arrival in the competitive U.S. FinTech corridor, the company aims to leverage its proprietary tech stack to capture a slice of the massive global migrant remittance market.
Norbert Gehrke
