In February 2009 the company entered into an agreement with Fexco to acquire 100% of its shares for $ 159.9 million. Money transfer is a matter of minutes, at any distance. In 1864, fearing the laying of long underwater lines, Western Union offered to carry out laying of telegraph lines to Europe through the Russian Alaska under the narrow Bering Strait and then to Siberia with branching in the major cities of Europe. Payment systems are one of basic elements of infrastructure of e-commerce. In 1849, Selden and Sibley, the founders of the future Western Union, created the New York State Printing Telegraph Company.