Western Union reached a deal with Hong Kong-based HKT Payment Ltd., to allow customers using that firm’s Tap & Go mobile wallet to make global money transfers with the Western Union mobile app or Western Union.com, in a company release.

Currently customers can make money transfers via Western Union using any credit card issues in Hong Kong.

Smartphone penetration in Hong Kong was about 96 percent by the end of 2017.

The agreement comes just a week after Western Union announced a deal with Kenya's M-Pesa on mobile funds transfers.