Is Remitly Safe? A Guide for UK Senders

Quick answer: Is Remitly safe to use in the UK?
Yes. Remitly UK Ltd is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as an Authorised Electronic Money Institution (EMI). It uses encryption, two-factor authentication, and real-time fraud monitoring. Over 9.6 million customers worldwide actively use Remitly to send money (Q1 2026), and the company has been operating since 2011.

When you’re sending money internationally, the last thing you need is to worry about whether the service is trustworthy. That’s a question I hear a lot and it’s a completely reasonable one to ask before handing over your hard-earned money.

The short answer: yes, Remitly is safe. But ‘yes’ isn’t much use on its own. In this guide I’ll walk you through exactly what makes it safe — the regulation, the technology, and the protections in place if something goes wrong.

I’m the Global Consumer Protection Manager at Remitly, with more than 20 years of experience, so I have a front-row seat to how this all works.

Is Remitly a Legitimate Company?

Remitly was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It’s a publicly listed company on NASDAQ (ticker: RELY), which means its finances are audited and publicly reported. It has processed $81 billion in transfers last year* and serves customers and their recipients who are located in 175+ countries.

In the UK specifically, Remitly UK Ltd is authorised by the UK Financial Conduct Authority and is registered at Companies House.

*Send volume data as of 12 months up to 31/3/26.

How Is Remitly Regulated in the UK?

To understand why this matters, it helps to know how the FCA licensing framework works. The FCA distinguishes between firms that are merely registered (a lighter-touch process for smaller firms) and those that are authorised (a rigorous approval process requiring the FCA to be satisfied with your capital, governance, safeguarding arrangements, and systems and controls).

Being an Authorised EMI under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 means Remitly UK Ltd is required to:

• Hold your money in safeguarded accounts for the entire duration of your transfer.
• Have robust systems and controls to detect and prevent financial crime.
• Treat customers fairly and operate a proper complaints procedure.
• Submit to ongoing FCA supervision, reporting, and the risk of enforcement action if standards slip.

You can verify Remitly UK Ltd’s authorisation on the FCA Financial Services Register, you can also use this to check any other financial services provider.

Remitly must also comply with Money Laundering Regulations, which is why you’ll be asked to verify your identity when you sign up. This is a legal requirement and it protects you as much as it protects the system.

But this isn’t just a UK commitment. Remitly holds the relevant licences for every country where it operates, including from the Central Bank of Ireland for its European business and from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and state regulators in the United States.

How Does Remitly Keep Your Money and Data Secure?

Here are some of the measures in place to keep your money and data safe.

Encryption in transit

Every transfer you make with Remitly is protected by bank-grade encryption technology, the same standard used by major financial institutions and government agencies. In practical terms that means your financial data is scrambled as it travels, so even if it were intercepted, it would be unreadable.

Two-factor authentication (2FA)

When you log in to Remitly from a new device or after a period of inactivity, you’ll be asked to verify your identity using your mobile phone via a text message or authentication app code in addition to your password. This means that even if someone gets hold of your password, they still can’t access your account without your phone.

You can also enable biometric login (fingerprint or Face ID) on the Remitly app for fast, secure access.

Trademarks, trade names and logos displayed are registered trademarks of their respective owners. No affiliation or endorsement of Remitly should be implied.

Account lockout after failed attempts

If someone tries to guess your password, Remitly will lock your account after a number of failed login attempts and prompt for additional verification. This protects against automated ‘brute force’ attacks.

Automated and manual fraud monitoring

Remitly’s fraud team monitors transactions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This is backed by machine learning systems that flag unusual activity. If something looks off, Remitly will contact you before processing the transfer.

Identity verification (KYC)

Before you can send money with Remitly, you’ll need to verify your identity. This involves providing a valid form of photo ID and, in some cases, proof of address. This is a legal requirement under UK anti-money-laundering regulations and also protects you: it means Remitly knows who its customers are, making it much harder for fraudsters to misuse the service.

Data protection

Remitly complies with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, meaning your personal data is handled securely and only used for the purposes you’d expect, such as verifying your identity and processing your transfer.

What Happens If Something Goes Wrong?

The Perfect Delivery Promise

When you send money with Remitly, you’re shown a specific date and time by which your transfer will be delivered. If we don’t meet that commitment, you’ll get the applicable transfer fee refunded. Transfer speed is dependent on payment method, transaction review and system availability of Remitly and our partners.

Cancellations and refunds

If you made a mistake, like inputting the wrong amount or wrong recipient, you may be able to cancel your transfer through the Remitly app before the money is collected or deposited. Contact our support team as quickly as possible if this happens. Once funds have been collected by the recipient, cancellation becomes much more difficult, so speed matters.

Contacting Remitly support

Remitly’s customer support is available 24/7 via:

• Live chat in the app (fastest response)
• Phone support
• Email

Support is available in multiple languages. If you’re dealing with something urgent, like suspected fraud or a missing transfer, live chat gets you to a real person fastest.

Protecting Yourself From Scams When Sending Money

Remitly’s security features help protect your account from being hacked. But no security system can fully protect you if someone tricks you into sending money yourself. This is called social engineering.

Scammers often use the same tactics: they build trust, create urgency, and ask you to act alone or in secret. The most common scams affecting people who send money abroad include:

• Romance scams: Someone online builds a relationship with you, then asks you to send them money urgently.
• Imposter scams: Someone pretends to be a trusted source (e.g. your bank, an airline, a government agency, or another authority) and asks you to make a payment or to “verify” your account.
• Investment scams: Someone promises high returns on an overseas investment and asks you to send funds through a money transfer app.
• Job scams: Someone offers you a job, then asks you to send money upfront — for example, to pay for training, equipment, or to “secure” the position.

Key rules to stay safe:

• Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person and can’t verify.
• Never share your MFA codes, authentication codes, PINs, or account details with anyone. Remitly, your bank, and legitimate businesses will never ask you for these.
• If someone pressures you to act fast, treat that as a warning sign.

If you think you’ve been targeted by a scam, contact Remitly support immediately — and also report it to Action Fraud (the UK’s national fraud and cybercrime reporting centre).

Is Remitly Safer Than a Bank Transfer?

This is a question worth addressing directly. Banks feel safe because they’re familiar, but for international transfers specifically, Remitly offers several advantages:

• Dedicated to international transfers: Remitly’s entire business is built around sending money abroad securely. Many banks do this as a side feature. In fact, the World Bank in 2026 reported that when it came to remittance fees, ‘’banks remain the most expensive type of service provider”.
• Delivery guarantee: Remitly’s Perfect Delivery Promise gives you a specific time commitment, if not met we’ll refund your fees. Banks typically give vague 3-5 day estimates, or if they do use tracking, you’re unlikely to get a guarantee.

That said, banks are covered by the FSCS (Financial Services Compensation Scheme) up to £85,000, while Remitly, which is an EMI rather than a bank, is not. Instead, Remitly UK Ltd protects your funds through statutory safeguarding under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011. For the duration of your transfer, your money is ringfenced by law.

5 Tips for Staying Safe on Remitly

• Use a strong, unique password. Don’t reuse your password from another site. A password manager makes this easy.
• Enable 2FA and biometric login. These are both free and quick to set up.
• Know what Remitly will and won’t ask for. Remitly will never ask for your password, your full National Insurance number, or unrelated credit card information via email or phone. Remitly may request an ID to comply with security regulations, but only through secure channels. If someone contacts you claiming to be Remitly and asks for any of these things, it’s a scam.
• Log out on shared devices. If you ever access Remitly from a shared computer, make sure you sign out afterwards.
• Check the recipient details carefully. Double-check the name and delivery method before confirming any transfer. Mistakes can be difficult to reverse once the money is collected.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Remitly regulated in the UK?

Yes. Remitly UK Ltd is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as an Authorised Electronic Money Institution (EMI). You can verify this on the FCA Financial Services Register.

Is Remitly covered by the FSCS?

No. Remitly UK Ltd is an Authorised EMI, not a bank, so it’s not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). However, as an EMI authorised under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011, it is legally required to safeguard your funds. This statutory safeguarding is a legal requirement, not a discretionary policy.

What should I do if I see suspicious activity on my Remitly account?

Contact Remitly support immediately via live chat in the app or by phone. Change your password and check whether your 2FA is still set up correctly. If you believe you’ve been the victim of fraud, also report it to Action Fraud (UK) at actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.

How do I verify my Remitly account?

Remitly will ask you to provide a valid photo ID (such as a passport or driving licence) and, in some cases, proof of address. This is a legal requirement and also protects your account security.

How do I contact Remitly support in the UK?

The fastest way is live chat through the Remitly app, available 24/7. You can also reach the support team by phone. Support is available in multiple languages. Contact the support team here.

The Bottom Line – Is Remitly Safe to Use?

Yes, Remitly is safe to use, and millions of people trust Remitly to send money internationally every year.

We know that sending money abroad involves trust and trust should be earned. The FCA authorisation, the security infrastructure, and the legal safeguarding requirements described here aren’t just for show, they prove we protect our customers and their money as best we can. If you have a specific question about a transfer or your account, our support team is available around the clock.