The Western Union Company - the American company, specialising on granting of services of monetary intermediary. Western Union was founded in 1851. The company is one of leaders in the market of the international remittances. Western Union offers one of the easiest ways for families and friends to send money and stay connected almost anywhere in the world. As a result of 2011, net income of Western Union has increased by 28% to $ 1.165 billion, the company reported. In 1914 Western Union engineers invented the first payment card - a prototype of the modern credit card. Before transition to remittances Western Union company rendered services on sphere of cable communication. In 1884 Western Union has become a joint-stock company and was brought to the stock exchange. The company has entered in the first American stock index Dow Jones.