Money transmitter license in the US and sponsorship program 

In the US, getting an MSB or MTL license in all 50+ States in the US is a very cumbersome process, the requirements vary state by state. The basic requirements would be registration with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), background checks, application fees, surety bond, maintenance of permissible investments, minimum net worth, business plan, IT policy, and a compliance program. The application processing time may take from a few months to 3 years depending upon the state. States such as New York, California, and Texas cost and take much longer. Getting licensed in all 50+ States may cost you around $1 million (not including legal fees). 

The other major challenge is to find an MSB friendly Bank in the US which would provide the required depository and processing service to collect funds from end-users and agents and transfer it to multiple countries. Even if you find one, the setup and the monthly fees are too steep for a start-up. 

Once you are licensed and have all the required banking arrangements, you may still face additional challenges with regard to compliance, technology, multiple agreements, HR management, etc.

Hence, if you are a start-up wanting to test the waters prior to investing heavily in your own l-Licenses in the US or spend years getting access to bank sponsorship, the best approach would be to find a Platform-as-a-Service provider who will provide you with an end-to-end compliant infrastructure. Rather than dealing with legal, compliance, and other operational overheads, start to lean and focus on Custom Acquisition.

If you would like to understand how the Machnet Application works and build a product, get started at sales@machnetinc.com