Thunes

Thunes is a Singapore-headquartered cross-border payments network. It started in 2016 as the international money-transfer business of TransferTo, now DT One, and its co-founder Peter De Caluwe is still chief executive. Investors shown on its website include Visa, Checkout.com, Insight Partners, Helios, Apis Partners and Vitruvian Partners.

It works mainly as a wholesale network. Money transfer operators, banks, fintechs and global platforms connect to it once and can then pay out to mobile wallets, bank accounts, cards and cash pick-up points. Thunes counts more than 720 network members across 140 countries, 90 currencies and 145 mobile wallet brands, and says 85% of payments settle immediately. Newer additions include payouts to stablecoin wallets, a treasury service for FX and liquidity, and instant payouts into mainland China with UnionPay International, announced in November 2026. In 2021 it bought Paris-based Limonetik, which now trades as Thunes Collections and lets businesses accept local methods such as mobile wallets, bank payments, digital vouchers and buy now, pay later.

Thunes says it is licensed in 50 markets. Its compliance page lists an FCA authorised payment institution in the UK, a French ACPR payment institution licence extended across the EU, a Major Payment Institution licence from the Monetary Authority of Singapore, a money service operator licence in Hong Kong, money services registration with FINTRAC in Canada, and money transmitter licences in all 50 US states. The only reference number it publishes is its US NMLS ID, 2450368.

The network suits remittance firms, payroll and gig platforms, marketplaces and banks that pay people in markets where mobile wallets reach more of the population than bank accounts. It is not a card acquirer, prices are agreed per contract, and access is through an API and a commercial agreement rather than self-service sign-up. Methods and speed differ by destination, so check each corridor.