Western Union has taken of 451st position in the rating Fortune 500 in 2009, having moved from 473rd line in 2008. Most service points of Western Union work in the time convenient for customers throughout the week and throughout the year. In October 2006 the company made an initial public offering of shares on the New York Stock Exchange, becoming independent from First Data company. Payment systems are one of basic elements of infrastructure of e-commerce. You do not need to open a bank account, so you can send or receive money in any of the 170 000 service points of Western Union around the world. In October 1871 the company has implemented the world's first telegraph money order. After a century money transfers have become a major source of income for Western Union.