Under this agreement, Intesa Sanpaolo, with 11 million customers and a market capitalization of about €30 billion, will offer remittances to abroad through ATM machines by the bank’s account-holders.

Western Union said that starting June 2011 money-transfer services will be available across Intesa Sanpaolo’s network of more than 7,200 ATMs across Italy.

In the months to follow, the service also will be expanded to 700 standalone kiosks inside Banca Intesa Sanpaolo branches and via internet and mobile banking.

Western Union senior vice president for Europe and CIS Jan Hillered said that the partnership aims at the acquisition of new customers in electronic channels.

Intesa Sanpaolo Consumer Marketing head Marco Siracusano said the agreement with Western Union allows the bank to be first in Italy to provide a money-transfer service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.