Is it possible to send money to Russia from the U.S. using PayPal or similar services?

Here is my answer to this question, from a world view and not just concentric to a specific geographic area:

• The glut has been there for a while, it is more so obvious now because of the connected power of the Internet. People in the field of payment systems are now in a position to learn more quickly about a developing payment solution than ever before. Its just now - getting to know about it is more easier.
• As more people are using the Internet as a utility vs luxury (as was the case a few years back), the opportunity that represents for payment companies/solutions is enormous.
• To challenge the stalwarts, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover.
• The sheer number of people on the Internet makes this an attractive playing field. This is especially true now with a worldwide marketplace.
• Almost anyone who has looked at the payment space with a bit of reading and usage, will have an epiphany as to how to solve the problem(s) that has been plaguing payment systems. Stare at a white-board long enough and sooner or later you will have a solution to some form of a payment problem. Such ingenuity has also fueled a lot of growth in payment systems.
• Mobile devices have acted as catalysts.
• With money being digital in nature, and the common denominator amongst the marketplace being the mobile phone, it almost begs innovation and evolution of the traditional payment systems.
• There are still many problems plaguing the payment systems in various parts of the world. There is no universal theorem or equation to tie them all in. With disparte economies and countries coming online, you will see a large emerging market of solution providers who will try to find a niche and carve their payment solution out.
• The amount of money involved. Almost every other economy is tied to the payments. Get into the payments eco-system and you are looking at a very stable opportunistic market.
• There is nothing like shaving off a few cents on a transaction. Recurring income is the best bet.
• Technology, gadgets, hardware, software, APIs and the network, specifically the Internet has made it easier to roll-out a payment solution.
• Main issue for everyone is (1) Compliance (2) Traction (3) Settlement
• Prime target for acquisition. The notion that if you have enough traction, you are bound to be swallowed up by the bigger fish.
• There are only so many Hotmail clones that the market can take, or Social Media clones for FB or Twitter. But for payment systems, there seems to be a very large market - with a large enough appetite.
• It is the gradual mariage of the on-line and the offline.
• The enormous opportunities that lie under the social media umbrella for payments (think Facebook / Twitter, etc.)
• It is the gradual marriage of the banked and the unbanked.
• Very low start up costs.
• Interconnects.