A new tool allows money to be sent from the United States to Banco Atlántida accounts in El Salvador through a process managed entirely via WhatsApp.
Thousands of Salvadorans in the United States send money every week to support their families. Often, it all starts the same way: a WhatsApp message asking for help, a photo of a bank account, confirmations, questions, and time lost juggling screenshots, numbers, and phone calls.
Now, that everyday conversation has evolved into an immediate, secure, and fully digital financial experience.
Banco Atlántida El Salvador has partnered with Félix—a Miami-based fintech specializing in WhatsApp-based remittances from the U.S. to Latin America—to launch a new solution that allows Salvadorans to receive money directly into their bank accounts more quickly and easily. Félix currently operates in nine countries across the region, serves over 400,000 users, and has processed more than US$6 billion in remittances using conversational technology designed to simplify the sending process for migrant families.
The service operates through Aria, Banco Atlántida’s official WhatsApp assistant (available at +503 2223-7676). Through this channel, the recipient in El Salvador can initiate a remittance request and generate a personalized link to share with their family member in the United States.
From there, the sender simply needs to access the link, enter their details, select the amount, and pay using a credit or debit card. Once the transaction is confirmed, the funds are deposited into the recipient's Banco Atlántida account within seconds.
This dynamic directly reflects how millions of Salvadoran families communicate today—through quick WhatsApp conversations that can now also become faster, more organized, and more secure money transfers.
Beyond speed, a key benefit is that the process can be initiated by the recipient in El Salvador; this reduces errors associated with sharing banking details and makes the sending process easier for family members abroad.
How does it work?
The process was designed to be simple and fast:
1. The customer in El Salvador messages Aria—Banco Atlántida’s official WhatsApp assistant—at +503 2223-7676.
2. They select the “Remesa Félix Pago” option.
3. They validate their details.
4. They receive a link valid for 72 hours.
5. They share that link with their family member or contact in the United States.
6. The sender completes the transfer from their mobile phone.
7. The money arrives in the Banco Atlántida account within seconds.
This move to digitize remittances comes at a pivotal moment. According to official data, El Salvador received nearly US$10 billion in family remittances in 2025, cementing this income stream as a vital pillar for thousands of Salvadoran households.
However, while money transfers have evolved rapidly in recent years, the experience of receiving funds often still involves manual processes, the exchange of sensitive data, or the need to travel physically to a location.
Banco Atlántida aims to reduce this friction by integrating the banking experience with people's actual digital habits.
Elmer Lazo, Retail Banking Manager at Banco Atlántida stated:
“At Banco Atlántida, we remain committed to bringing simpler, safer, and more useful financial services to our customers. We are investing in digital tools that streamline their daily lives and strengthen the connection with their family members abroad”
Claudia Garavini, VP of Strategy & Business Development at Félix stated:
“Remittances are not just a transaction. They are a way to be there for family, even from a distance. Together with Banco Atlántida, we want to make this process easier for Salvadorans—enabling them to request, send, and receive money through a channel they already use every day, with greater clarity, speed, and less friction.”
The integration between Banco Atlántida and Félix marks a new era for remittances in El Salvador: fewer steps, less friction, and an experience designed around how people actually communicate today.
Because for millions of Salvadorans abroad, helping their families no longer starts at a branch. It starts on WhatsApp.
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