Thunes Direct Global Network will leverage Ripple’s blockchain-powered payments solutions to make cross-border payments more accessible and efficient.
Thunes, a global payment service provider, has expanded its partnership with the blockchain company Ripple to supercharge real-time cross-border payments made via its network.
The two companies will layer Ripple’s blockchain-powered payments more deeply into Thunes’s Direct Global Network and SmartX treasury stack. That tighter integration should bring the partners broader payout coverage, increased reach and efficiency of Thunes’ real-time local-currency payouts, easier withdrawals for new currencies and markets, as well as treasury and settlement improvements using Ripple’s rails.
Ripple and Thunes have been working together since 2020, initially focusing on enabling banks and payment providers to connect more efficiently for cross-border transfers. Over the following years, they collaborated on practical use cases such as helping Moroccan bank Attijariwafa receive inbound payments through RippleNet and Thunes’ payout network, while also expanding access to remittance and business payment corridors in regions like Africa and Asia.
Ahead of the 2025 expansion, Thunes had already begun integrating stablecoin settlement and blockchain solutions into its network, laying the groundwork for a deeper integration with Ripple’s payments infrastructure.
The fintech company uses its SmartX Treasury System to integrate stablecoins directly into its global payments infrastructure. Instead of relying on slow, costly correspondent banking, SmartX enables real-time settlement with stablecoins, matching the speed of instant payments with instant funding. This gives businesses immediate liquidity, which is especially valuable for cross-border transactions where traditional settlement can take days. At a wholesale level, SmartX acts as a bridge between digital assets and the banking system. It allows enterprises to settle in stablecoins while still paying out in local fiat currencies.
Thunes is continuously improving its cross-border payment capabilities, as this is the sphere that requires the most improvements according to numerous consumer and industry surveys.
Ripple is an excellent partner for this purpose as its payment tools power fast, transparent cross-border transactions with seamless on/off ramps for banks, fintechs, and crypto firms. It already spans 90+ payout markets covering over 90% of daily FX activity, with more than $70 billion processed to date.
