Today, we’re thrilled to sit down with a leading expert from Thunes, a trailblazer in the fintech space known for revolutionizing cross-border payments. With a mission to create a seamless global payment superhighway, Thunes is empowering banks and businesses to move money faster, safer, and more efficiently across borders. In this conversation, we dive into their innovative solutions, the impact of their expansive network reaching billions of bank accounts and mobile wallets, and how they’re shaping the future of international transactions in a rapidly evolving financial landscape.
How did Thunes come to focus on transforming cross-border payments, and what’s the core mission driving your work?
At Thunes, we saw a glaring gap in the way money moves across borders—traditional systems were often slow, costly, and fragmented. Our core mission is to build a smart superhighway for global payments, making them as fast, affordable, and accessible as possible. We started by focusing on connecting financial institutions and businesses to a vast network, ensuring that whether you’re a bank, a small business, or an individual, sending money internationally feels effortless. It’s about breaking down barriers and creating a world where money moves with the speed and ease of a local transaction.
Can you walk us through your Pay-to-Banks solution and how it leverages existing Swift connectivity to benefit financial institutions?
Absolutely. Our Pay-to-Banks solution is a game-changer for the 11,000 banks in the Swift network. It allows them to connect to our Direct Global Network without needing any additional integration. Essentially, banks can use their existing Swift setup to send both business and consumer payments globally, reaching 4 billion bank accounts in over 130 countries. This means faster payouts, often in real time, which not only meets the growing demand for speed but also significantly enhances the customer experience by reducing wait times and complexity.
What impact does this kind of global reach have on both banks and their end customers?
The impact is profound. For banks, connecting to such a vast network—covering over 130 countries—means they can offer their customers a truly global service without the headache of building those connections themselves. For customers, whether they’re individuals sending money to family abroad or businesses paying suppliers, it translates to quicker, more reliable transfers. We’ve seen this make a big difference in regions like Southeast Asia and Africa, where access to fast payments can be life-changing. It’s all about meeting the modern expectation of instant, borderless transactions.
Let’s talk about your Pay-to-Wallets solution. How does it support the growing trend of digital payments on a global scale?
Our Pay-to-Wallets solution taps into the massive shift toward digital payments by enabling banks to send money directly to over 3 billion mobile wallets across 120 brands worldwide, again using their existing Swift connectivity. This is huge for global business payments, as it allows companies to pay vendors or employees instantly through popular wallet platforms. It’s also a lifeline for consumers in regions where mobile wallets are more common than traditional bank accounts. This expansion reflects how digital ecosystems are becoming central to financial inclusion and cross-border commerce.
With the global B2B payments market valued at $150 trillion in 2024, how is Thunes positioning itself to capture a slice of this opportunity?
We’re positioning ourselves as the go-to partner for seamless, cost-effective international payments. The B2B market is enormous, and businesses are hungry for solutions that cut through the delays and high fees of traditional systems. Our Direct Global Network offers unmatched speed and reach, while our pricing and transparency give businesses—big and small—an edge. For small businesses especially, we level the playing field by providing access to the same fast, secure payment tools that larger corporations use, enabling them to compete globally without breaking the bank.
Can you explain how the SmartX Treasury System enhances the payment process for banks and their clients?
The SmartX Treasury System is our behind-the-scenes powerhouse. It’s designed to optimize liquidity management, ensuring that funds are available where and when they’re needed across our network. This prevents delays and keeps transactions flowing smoothly. On top of that, it offers a high level of transparency—banks and their clients can track payments in real time and get clear insights into costs and timing. It’s about building trust and efficiency into every step of the payment journey.
Security is always a top concern in cross-border transactions. How does your Fortress Compliance platform address these challenges?
Security is non-negotiable for us, and our Fortress Compliance platform is built to tackle the risks head-on. It provides robust controls to protect against fraud, money laundering, and other financial crimes, using advanced monitoring and risk assessment tools. It also ensures that every transaction complies with international regulations, which is critical for banks operating across jurisdictions. By embedding these safeguards, we give our partners peace of mind that their payments are not only fast but also fully secure and above board.
Looking ahead, how is Thunes preparing to bridge traditional financial systems with emerging payment methods like digital assets and global wallets?
We’re actively building a platform that connects the old and the new—fiat currencies, digital assets, and global wallets. This means creating interoperability between traditional banking systems and cutting-edge payment methods. We’re exploring how blockchain and digital currencies can integrate with our network to offer even faster, cheaper transactions. At the same time, we’re expanding our reach into digital wallet ecosystems, which are becoming a primary payment method in many parts of the world. Our goal is to future-proof payments by ensuring our network can adapt to whatever comes next.
What’s your forecast for the future of cross-border payments over the next decade?
I believe the next decade will see cross-border payments become almost invisible—meaning they’ll be so fast, seamless, and integrated into everyday life that people won’t even think about the borders. Real-time payments will be the norm, driven by advancements in technology like AI for fraud detection and blockchain for transparency. We’ll also see a massive rise in digital wallets and alternative currencies, especially in emerging markets. At Thunes, we’re excited to be at the forefront of this shift, building the infrastructure to make global payments as simple as sending a text message.