The WB said that overseas remittances reached US$542 billion globally last year, and are expected to rise to US$581 billion in 2014 and to US$681 billion in 2016.
India topped the list with US$70 billion, followed by China (US$60 billion), the Philippines (US$25 billion), and Mexico (US$22 billion).
Vietnam ranked ninth with US$11 billion.
The top nine countries remained the same from the previous year. In 2012, Vietnam came in ninth with US$10 billion remitted.
In terms of remittances as a share of GDP, the top recipients were Tajikistan (52%), then the Kyrgyz Republic (31%), followed by Nepal and Moldova (both 25%).
Remittances to the East Asia and Asia-Pacific regions were estimated to have grown by 4.8% in 2013 to US$112 billion. Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines saw the highest growth thanks to a large number of guest workers.
By 2015, workers will travel freely among ASEAN countries, driving regional remittances to a projected US$148 billion in 2016.
The WB forecasts that global remittances will increase sharply in the short term.
