In February 2009 the company entered into an agreement with Fexco to acquire 100% of its shares for $ 159.9 million. 1980 - for the first time in the history of Western Union revenues from money transfers exceeded the income from the telegraph service. Separation of the companies had two objectives: first, to give Western Union the opportunity to develop more intensively, and secondly, to help First Data to return to its original activity (in 1992 the company separated from the payment system of American Express as an independent financial services company). The first offices of company were located in the Reynolds Arcade building in Rochester, New York. The sign above the main entrance to the building - Western Union made so that the time in all of American civil services was the same. Number of active holders of "Golden Card" of Western Union amounted to 9.5 million people worldwide.