XRP News Today: Blockchain Bridges the Gap: Thunes and Ripple Redefine Global Payments with Speed and Scale

Thunes and Ripple have announced an expanded global partnership to enhance cross-border payments through blockchain technology. The collaboration, building on their 2020 alliance, aims to streamline money movement, broaden payout reach, and improve the customer payout experience across key markets. By integrating Ripple’s blockchain-powered solutions with Thunes’ Direct Global Network, the partnership enables faster, more secure, and compliant cross-border transactions for financial institutions and businesses.

Thunes, a global payments infrastructure company, has leveraged blockchain and digital asset technologies to strengthen its Direct Global Network, which supports real-time payouts in over 130 countries and 80 currencies. The platform connects to more than 7 billion mobile wallets and bank accounts, as well as 15 billion cards via 320 different payment methods, including GCash, M-Pesa, and WeChat Pay. The partnership enhances last-mile delivery in underbanked regions, where traditional banking infrastructure is limited. Thunes is also utilizing Ripple Payments to improve its SmartX Treasury System, which optimizes liquidity management and operational efficiency.

Ripple Payments, a core component of the partnership, has near-global coverage with 90+ payout markets representing more than 90% of the daily foreign exchange market. The system processes over $70 billion in volume, enabling fast, transparent, and reliable cross-border payments for banks, crypto companies, and fintechs. Ripple’s infrastructure supports real-time settlement, reducing delays and transaction costs while improving compliance across jurisdictions. Fiona Murray, Managing Director, Asia Pacific at Ripple, emphasized that the partnership accelerates Ripple’s mission to reshape global payments through blockchain.

Chloe Mayenobe, President and COO at Thunes, noted that the alliance bridges traditional finance and the digital assets ecosystem. By supporting real-time settlement and deep local integrations, the partnership enables digital asset companies to deliver seamless, compliant, and scalable cross-border payments. Ripple’s enterprise customers benefit from enhanced global payment capabilities, including easier withdrawals in new currencies and countries.

The collaboration aligns with growing demand for blockchain-powered financial solutions. Cross-border payment systems are increasingly being challenged by inefficiencies, including high fees, delays, and regulatory complexity. The partnership addresses these issues by combining Thunes’ extensive network with Ripple’s digital asset infrastructure. Analysts from PYMNTS Intelligence highlight that cross-border transactions face obstacles like high fees, fraud risks, and failed payment attempts, which negatively impact conversion rates. By addressing these challenges, Thunes and Ripple’s partnership supports the broader shift toward digital and blockchain-enabled payment systems.

The partnership also reflects a strategic alignment with emerging trends in the financial industry, particularly the adoption of blockchain for institutional use cases. Ripple’s XRP Ledger is being tested by SWIFT for cross-border transactions under the ISO 20022 standard. XRP’s efficiency—settling transactions in seconds with minimal fees—positions it as a potential bridge currency for global transfers. If successful, XRP could become a central asset in cross-border payments, particularly if it captures a significant share of SWIFT’s $150 trillion in annual transaction volume.

For now, the Thunes-Ripple partnership focuses on delivering immediate value to financial institutions by improving access, speed, and compliance in global payments. As the financial industry continues to embrace blockchain for cross-border solutions, the collaboration underscores the growing importance of digital infrastructure in modern finance.

Source:

[1] Thunes and Ripple Expand Global Partnership to Transform Cross-Border Payments (https://www.thunes.com/news/thunes-and-ripple-expand-global-partnership-to-transform-cross-border-payments/)

[2] Thunes and Ripple Team to Bolster Cross-Border Payments (https://www.pymnts.com/partnerships/2025/thunes-and-ripple-team-to-bolster-cross-border-payments/)

[3] Thunes and Ripple Expand Global Partnership to Transform Cross-Border Payments (https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/thunes-and-ripple-expand-global-partnership-to-transform-cross-border-payments-302543568.html)