Texas First Bank Launches In-App International Money Transfers with PayMitto, Enabled by Visa Direct

Community bank serving the Houston and Galveston region adds embedded cross-border P2P payments — giving customers a secure way to send money internationally without leaving their banking app

ATLANTA, Sept. 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Texas First Bank, a $2.4 billion community bank serving the Houston and Galveston region for more than 50 years, today announced the launch of embedded cross-border P2P payments inside its mobile banking app. Delivered by PayMitto and powered by Visa Direct, the new capability lets Texas First customers send money internationally directly from the bank's app — securely, quickly, and from a provider they already trust.

Texas First serves a region with deep international ties, from Houston's diverse communities to the seasonal workforce that flows through Galveston each year. Many of the bank's customers were already sending money abroad — through wires or through third-party providers — taking those interactions, and the deposits behind them, outside the bank's relationship. The new offering brings that activity back in-house, inside an experience customers already trust.

"As a community bank, our goal is to deliver a full-service experience that meets our customers’ evolving needs," said Mary Williams, Vice President and Card Operations Manager at Texas First. "We know many of our customers are sending money internationally, and we wanted to provide a secure, fast, and cost-effective solution directly within the app they already trust. This is a powerful step forward in bringing global capabilities to our local community."

For Texas First, the result is a cross-border capability that lives entirely inside its own app, and a deposit relationship most institutions lose to outside providers. PayMitto handles the rest: compliance and risk infrastructure, connections to global payout networks, and a user experience built around each bank's own brand and digital environment.

"Texas First’s launch reflects what PayMitto is building toward, a world where financial institutions of every size can bring international money movement in-house for their customers," said Larry Hipp, CEO of PayMitto. "Texas First is one of several institutions implementing the PayMitto solution, and we expect to announce more in the months ahead."

The new capability brings together three partners with a shared interest in Texas First Bank's customers: a community bank with deep regional ties, a fintech built for financial institutions, and a global payments network with a decades-long relationship to the bank itself.

Texas First Bank recently opened its 27th location and continues to invest in services that bring more of its account holders' financial lives in-house. The bank plans to grow its corridor coverage and customer adoption through the second half of 2026.

About PayMitto
Atlanta-based fintech company PayMitto powers cross-border payments for financial institutions and enterprises. Banks and credit unions use PayMitto to add global money movement to their digital banking experience, keeping account holders in-app and deposits in-house, without the cost or complexity of building a solution from scratch. Through partnerships with Visa, Mastercard, and FIS, PayMitto connects financial institutions to a global payout network. For more information, visit paymitto.com.

About Texas First Bank
Texas First is a family-owned and operated independent organization, serving individuals, small to medium-sized businesses, and large corporations along the Texas Gulf Coast since 1973. Headquartered in Texas City, Texas First Bank has 27 locations throughout Galveston, Harris, Brazoria, Chambers, Liberty, Montgomery, and Jefferson Counties. It offers a wide range of personal and commercial banking, loan, insurance, and investment products and services via dedicated, local staff committed to providing superior service and treating customers like family. To learn more, visit www.texasfirst.bank. Helping Texans Build Texas®

Media Contact
Jamie Quenzer, VP of Go to Market
jquenzer@paymitto.com

Corinna Danilevich, VP Director of Marketing
Marketing@texasfirst.bank 

PayMitto, LLC is a technology provider and not a bank or other regulated financial institution. All regulated international transfer services associated with PayMitto are provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. Terms and conditions apply.