TC006431)
12-06-00062 · SFC Central Entity No. BGY43870003150395, Certificate of Change of Name 40020445135, and the 18 May 2022 47-page Form M1 LBO Charge Instrument Barcode 23202176791) alongside Hong Kong Customs and SFC registers.
Whether you are a parent or student paying tuition fees to HKU, CUHK, HKUST, PolyU, or UK/US/Australian universities via GlobalPay for Students, or a corporate treasurer executing cross-border FX hedges, you have likely noticed that Western Union Business Solutions has transitioned to Convera, with Hong Kong contracts and settlement instructions issued under CONVERA HONG KONG LIMITED.
Forensic verification of Hong Kong Companies Registry records for CR No. 1474270 across 16 years (2010–2026) establishes three decisive facts[1][2]:
- 100% Unbroken Corporate Continuity Since 2010:CONVERA HONG KONG LIMITED (CR No.:
1474270, BRN:52528828, incorporated 29 June 2010) is the exact same legal entity formerly known asWestern Union Business Solutions (Hong Kong) Limited(西聯環球商業滙款(香港)有限公司) andTravelex GBP Hong Kong Limited; - US$910 Million Buyout by Goldfinch Partners & The Baupost Group: Following the US$910 million leveraged buyout (LBO) of Western Union's B2B and education payments division by private equity consortium Goldfinch Partners and The Baupost Group, the Hong Kong subsidiary perfected its syndicated acquisition security on 18 May 2022 via a 47-page Form M1 Charge Instrument (Barcode:
23202176791) and completed its statutory name change toConvera Hong Kong Limitedon 16 May 2023 (Barcode:40020445135)[1][5]; - Founding-Batch 2012 Customs MSO Licence (
12-06-00062) & SFC Record (BGY438): Licensed since June 2012 in the very first cohort of Hong Kong Customs MSOs (Licence #00062) and recorded under SFC Central Entity No.BGY438[2][3].
1. 16-Year 4-Stage Corporate Name Genealogy: Two Global FX Mega-Buyouts Inside CR No. 1474270
Few corporate records in the Hong Kong Companies Registry encapsulate global FinTech M&A history as vividly as CR No. 1474270[1]:
Stage 1 (2010-06-29 to 2011-07-13): SPRING CASTLE LIMITED (Incorporation Vehicle)
Incorporated on 29 June 2010 under the shelf name SPRING CASTLE LIMITED with CR No. 1474270 and BRN 52528828 to serve as the Hong Kong corporate vehicle for an upcoming divisional spin-off.
Stage 2 (2011-07-13 to 2012-10-15): Travelex GBP Hong Kong Limited (£606M Travelex Spin-Off)
In July 2011, UK FX group Travelex (whose retail Hong Kong money exchange arm is TRAVELEX CURRENCY EXCHANGE LIMITED, CR 0603431) agreed to sell its B2B division, Travelex Global Business Payments (GBP), to Western Union for £606 million. CR 1474270 was renamed Travelex GBP Hong Kong Limited on 13 July 2011 and secured founding-batch HK Customs MSO Licence 12-06-00062 in June 2012.
Stage 3 (2012-10-15 to 2023-05-16): Western Union Business Solutions (Hong Kong) Limited / 西聯環球商業滙款(香港)有限公司
Following regulatory closing, the entity adopted the bilingual statutory name Western Union Business Solutions (Hong Kong) Limited on 15 October 2012, operating for over a decade as Western Union's flagship Asia-Pacific B2B FX and GlobalPay for Students university tuition clearing house (also recorded under SFC CE No. BGY438)[3].
Stage 4 (2023-05-16 to Present): CONVERA HONG KONG LIMITED (US$910M LBO Era)
After Goldfinch Partners and The Baupost Group completed the US$910 million acquisition of WUBS, the company filed Form NNC2 (Barcode: 70003150395) and received its Certificate of Change of Name (Barcode: 40020445135) on 16 May 2023, becoming CONVERA HONG KONG LIMITED headquartered at Room 501, 5/F, K11 ATELIER King's Road, 728 King's Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong[1].
2. ICRIS Filing Forensics: Decoding the 47-Page Form M1 LBO Charge (Barcode 23202176791)
Among the 20 statutory filings recorded for CONVERA HONG KONG LIMITED (CR No. 1474270), the May 2022 charge registration and May 2023 name change filings provide direct documentary proof of its institutional buyout structure[1]:
| Filing Date | Form Code | Statutory Document Title & M&A Significance | ICRIS 11-Digit Barcode | Pages & Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-05-16 | CERT_NAME | Certificate of Change of Name Official certificate renaming Western Union Business Solutions (HK) Ltd to Convera Hong Kong Limited | 40020445135 | 1p · View |
| 2023-05-16 | NNC2 | Notice of Change of Company Name (Form NNC2) Statutory notice filed pursuant to special resolution | 70003150395 | 1p · View |
| 2023-03-30 | ND2A | Notice of Change of Company Secretary and Director (Form ND2A) Post-buyout board governance transition | 23002236652 | 3p · View |
| 2022-11-02 | ND2B | Notice of Change of Company Secretary and Director Details (Form ND2B) 6-page comprehensive update of international director particulars | 70002833671 | 6p · View |
| 2022-07-07 | NAR1 | Annual Return 2022 (Form NAR1 · Filed with consecutive ND2B70002671452)11-page annual return capturing shareholding and board prior to rebranding | 70002671460 | 11p · View |
| 2022-05-18 | M1 | Particulars of Mortgage or Charge (Form M1) Hong Kong subsidiary security perfection for the US$910M Goldfinch / Baupost LBO credit facility | 23202176790 | 2p · View |
| 2022-05-18 | INSTRUMENT | Certified Charge Instrument (47-Page Syndicated LBO Security Agreement) Consecutive barcode ( 6790 → 6791) containing the 47-page cross-border security instrument | 23202176791 | 47p · View |
3. University Tuition & Corporate FX Comparison: Convera GlobalPay vs. Flywire vs. Bank Wire
For international students paying tuition to Hong Kong, UK, US, Canadian, or Australian universities, Convera GlobalPay for Students and Flywire represent the two dominant institutional payment rails[2][4]:
| Comparison Metric | Convera GlobalPay for Students (CONVERA HONG KONG LIMITED) | Flywire (FLYWIRE (HONG KONG) LIMITED) | Traditional Bank SWIFT Wire (TT) (Retail Bank Counter / e-Banking) |
|---|---|---|---|
| HK Statutory Entity | CONVERA HONG KONG LIMITED CR: 1474270 · BRN: 52528828(Formerly WUBS HK Limited) | FLYWIRE (HONG KONG) LIMITED CR: 3143171 · BRN: 73947522(Inc. 2022-04-13, LT Tower Kwun Tong) | Licensed commercial banks |
| HK Regulatory Licences | Customs MSO: 12-06-00062 (Licensed 2012)Historical SFC CE No.: BGY438 | Customs MSO: 24-03-03207(Parent listed on Nasdaq: FLYW) | Banking Licence (Cap. 155) |
| Rate Lock & Student ID Reconciliation | 72-hour guaranteed FX rate lock + automated Student ID ledger reconciliation with 800+ universities | Guaranteed full-amount delivery + real-time university portal tracking | Vulnerable to HK$150–400 intermediary bank lifting fees, causing short-payment holds and manual reconciliation delays |
| B2B FX & Judicial Standing | 140+ currencies across 200+ countries/territories; zero HK court litigation or winding-up records (has_lit=0) | Focused on education, healthcare, travel & B2B invoicing; zero HK court litigation (has_lit=0) | Standard commercial trade & L/C settlement |
4. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): Convera Hong Kong Limited
Q1: Is Convera Hong Kong Limited the same company as Western Union Business Solutions (Hong Kong) Limited?
Yes, 100%. Incorporated on 29 June 2010 under Hong Kong Company Number 1474270 and BRN 52528828, the company operated as Western Union Business Solutions (Hong Kong) Limited from 15 October 2012 until 16 May 2023, when it formally changed its name to CONVERA HONG KONG LIMITED (Form NNC2 Barcode: 70003150395; Certificate Barcode: 40020445135).
Q2: What regulatory licences does Convera hold in Hong Kong?
CONVERA HONG KONG LIMITED holds Hong Kong Customs Money Service Operator Licence No. 12-06-00062 (licensed since June 2012) at Room 501, 5/F, K11 ATELIER King's Road, 728 King's Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong, and carries historical SFC Central Entity record BGY438.
Q3: What is the 47-page Form M1 Charge (Barcode 23202176791) filed by Convera in May 2022?
Filed on 18 May 2022 alongside Form M1 (23202176790), the 47-page instrument reflects the syndicated acquisition financing security package for the US$910 million buyout of Western Union Business Solutions by Goldfinch Partners and The Baupost Group.
5. Official Regulatory Registers & Statutory Filing Citations
- Hong Kong Companies Registry (ICRIS): Statutory register, 4-stage name history, and 20 filing records for CONVERA HONG KONG LIMITED (CR No.
1474270, BRN52528828), including Certificate of Change of Name (40020445135), FormNNC2(70003150395), 2022 FormNAR1(70002671460), FormM1(23202176790), and 47p Charge Instrument (23202176791). Portal: www.e-services.cr.gov.hk ↗. - Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department: Register of Money Service Operators under Cap. 615 —
CONVERA HONG KONG LIMITED TRADING AS CONVERA, Licence No.:12-06-00062. Portal: HK Customs MSO Register ↗. - Securities and Futures Commission (SFC): Public Register record — Central Entity No.:
BGY438(Western Union Business Solutions (Hong Kong) Limited). - Peer Entity Profiles:FLYWIRE (HONG KONG) LIMITED (CR No.
3143171, MSO24-03-03207) and TRAVELEX CURRENCY EXCHANGE LIMITED (CR No.0603431, MSO12-06-00110). - Convera Corporate Disclosures: Goldfinch Partners & The Baupost Group US$910M Acquisition Announcements and GlobalPay for Students portal: www.convera.com ↗.