# Thunes

> Thunes is a Singapore-headquartered cross-border payments company that operates a proprietary Direct Global Network connecting businesses to bank accounts, mobile wallets, cards and stablecoin wallets in more than 130 countries and 80-plus currencies. Spun out of TransferTo in 2016 and led by co-founder and CEO Peter De Caluwe, Thunes powers real-time money movement for gig-economy platforms, super-apps, banks, remittance companies and PSPs, backed by its in-house SmartX Treasury System and Fortress Compliance Platform. In 2026 Juniper Research ranked it among the top three cross-border payments leaders alongside Swift and Visa.

- **Founded:** 2016
- **Headquarters:** Singapore, Singapore
- **Founders:** Peter De Caluwe (Co-Founder & CEO), Eric Barbier (Co-Founder (founder of TransferTo))
- **Team size:** ~470 employees
- **Products:** Direct Global Network, SmartX Treasury System, Fortress Compliance Platform, Business Payments / Collections
- **Notable:** Named a top three global leader in cross-border payments by Juniper Research (March 2026), alongside Swift and Visa., Reached unicorn status in 2025, nine years after spinning out of TransferTo., Obtained money transmitter licenses in all 50 US states (2024).

## Products & services

- **Direct Global Network** — Proprietary network enabling real-time payments and collections to 12B+ mobile wallets, stablecoin wallets and bank accounts and 15B cards across 130+ countries, 80+ currencies and 220+ payment methods via one connection.
- **SmartX Treasury System** — In-house treasury management platform automating FX, liquidity and settlement so members move money efficiently across currencies with control and visibility.
- **Fortress Compliance Platform** — Proprietary compliance engine for transaction monitoring, sanctions screening and risk management across the network.
- **Business Payments / Collections** — Mass payouts and payment collection for platforms, marketplaces, MTOs, PSPs and banks reaching customers and workers in emerging markets.

## Achievements

- Named a top three global leader in cross-border payments by Juniper Research (March 2026), alongside Swift and Visa.
- Reached unicorn status in 2025, nine years after spinning out of TransferTo.
- Obtained money transmitter licenses in all 50 US states (2024).
- Built proprietary in-house SmartX Treasury System and Fortress Compliance Platform.
- Expanded MPI licence in Singapore with MAS approval.

## Latest updates

- **2026-04** — Thunes and WireBarley launched a real-time payment solution for 1.1 million users across Asia and beyond.
- **2026-03** — Juniper Research named Thunes a top three global cross-border payments leader alongside Swift and Visa.
- **2025-10** — Co-founder Peter De Caluwe returned as CEO; Ecobank Group partnership announced.
- **2025-09** — Launched in Morocco and announced a partnership with Ripple.
- **2025** — Banque Saudi Fransi partnership signed at Sibos 2025 for remittances to 130+ countries.

## Links

- Website: https://www.thunes.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thunespayments
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ThunesPayments
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThunesPayments

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/thunes
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-24