Thunes, known as the Smart Superhighway for moving money around the world, has been awarded ‘Cross-Border Payment Infrastructure of the Year’ at the 13th Annual Payments Awards.
Hosted by FStech and Retail Systems, the Payments Awards recognise companies that demonstrate excellence, innovation, and meaningful impact across the global payments landscape. Winning this category underscores the company’s continued leadership in modernising cross-border transactions and building infrastructure that is shaping the future of fast, secure, and interoperable global payments.
The award reflects Thunes’ ongoing progress in advancing global payments innovation. Over the past year, the company has made major strides in strengthening its connectivity with both traditional and next-generation financial systems. Notably, the company has expanded its reach into traditional banking rails through its new Pay-to-Banks and Pay-to-Wallets solution, which leverages Swift connectivity to facilitate more efficient transfers. This development creates smoother pathways between banks, mobile wallets, and financial institutions, reducing friction for businesses and end users who rely on fast, reliable movement of funds.
In addition to enhancing bank connectivity, they have launched its Pay-to-Stablecoin-Wallets solution, enabling transfers into digital asset environments with greater ease and compliance. The company also introduced Account Top-Ups and Withdrawals for digital asset platforms, further supporting the growing number of businesses operating at the intersection of traditional and digital finance. Together, these advancements reflect Thunes’ commitment to building a network capable of bridging highly fragmented financial ecosystems while supporting new forms of value transfer.
Today, the Thunes Direct Global Network connects more than 130 countries and supports movement across 80 currencies and more than 320 payment methods. This reach allows banks, mobile wallets, money transfer operators, digital asset companies, and financial institutions to move money across borders with speed, transparency, and reliability. Thunes’ infrastructure eliminates many of the pain points associated with legacy cross-border payment rails, enabling instant or near-instant transfers while also improving visibility and reducing costs. In an increasingly interconnected global economy, these capabilities are essential for enabling businesses and consumers to transact seamlessly, regardless of geography.
The award also highlights Thunes’ expanding influence across the financial industry. The company has made significant progress in strengthening global interoperability, advancing financial inclusion, and building trusted infrastructure at scale. Over the past year, Thunes has expanded into key strategic markets, further deepening its global footprint. In the United States, the company secured 50 Money Transmission Licences, enabling it to operate across most states and serve one of the world’s largest and most complex payments markets. Thunes also completed its Series D fundraise, reinforcing investor confidence in its vision and ability to execute.
Beyond regulatory and financial milestones, Thunes strengthened partnerships with leading banks, digital wallet providers, financial institutions, and digital asset organisations. These collaborations are instrumental in building a network that is universally accessible, compliant across jurisdictions, and capable of powering the next generation of cross-border payments. Collectively, these achievements position Thunes as a central enabler for secure, compliant, and inclusive money movement worldwide.
Abigail Slater, SVP for Europe at Thunes, expressed pride in the win, saying: “We’re extremely proud to be recognised by the Payments Awards. Cross-border payments are evolving rapidly, and our focus remains on creating a Network that is reliable, inclusive, and future-proofed, bringing unmatched value to our Members. More businesses, from established financial institutions to emerging fintechs, are choosing Thunes to help them reach new markets and customers with speed, transparency, and confidence.”
Mathieu Limousi, Chief Marketing Officer at Thunes, added: “This recognition caps Thunes’ most award-winning year yet. As demand for transparent and dependable instant cross-border payments accelerates, we’re focused on pushing the boundaries of innovation while continuing to deliver the trust, scale and reach global businesses rely on. This award reflects the work our teams do every day and the ongoing trust of our Members. We’re energised by this momentum and look forward to bringing even more innovation to the global payments ecosystem in the months ahead.”
With this award, Thunes reinforces its reputation as a global leader in payment infrastructure, committed to enabling a future where moving money across borders is instant, open, and accessible for all.
