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. Western Union offers one of the easiest ways for families and friends to send money and stay connected almost anywhere in the world. In October 2006 the company made an initial public offering of shares on the New York Stock Exchange, becoming independent from First Data company. The Western Union Company is a leader in global payment services In 1914 Western Union engineers invented the first payment card - a prototype of the modern credit card. 1970 - a new service called Western Union provides consumers and businesses with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around the world, to send payments and to purchase money orders. Western Union made so that the time in all of American civil services was the same.