Thunes expands real-time payouts to Venezuela, strengthening cross-border financial access in Latin America
Thunes, the Smart Superhighway to move money around the world, today announced the expansion of its Direct Global Network into Venezuela, one of Latin America’s critical financial corridors.
With this expansion, Members of Thunes’ Direct Global Network, including banks, Money Transfer Operators (MTOs), payment service providers and gig economy platforms, can process compliant, real-time transfers directly to millions of bank accounts via Credito Inmediato Interbancario, the local platform enabled for instant interbanking transfers.
Venezuela represents a critical market for cross-border money movement, where diaspora remittances and international transfers serve as essential economic lifelines for approximately 35% of families, local businesses, and freelancers participating in the global digital economy. In 2025, remittances to Venezuela were estimated at around US$6 billion (7% of GDP), with about 50% originating in the US. Thunes’ entry into the market targets key needs in the region:
- Fueled Gig Economy Payouts: Empowering platforms to pay Venezuelan freelancers instantly in real time – critical given 89% live paycheck-to-paycheck or struggle with basic expenses.
- Expanded Financial Inclusion: Connecting unbanked and underbanked populations directly to local digital wallets and cash pickup points.
- Vital Remittance Lifelines: Delivering fast, predictable cross-border support to millions of families reliant on financial support.
“Expanding our real-time payout capabilities to Venezuela marks an important step as we open instant payment reach to more countries across the world. Latin America remains a pivotal growth region for Thunes, and Venezuela’s market demands fast, transparent, and accessible cross-border financial infrastructure. By opening this corridor, we empower our Network Members to deliver life-changing financial connectivity to millions of individuals and businesses.”
Alex Young, Chief Network Officer at Thunes
“Venezuela represents one of Latin America’s most vital financial corridors, where cross-border transfers provide an essential lifeline for millions of families and an expanding community of digital freelancers. By extending our direct real-time payout infrastructure into Venezuela, we are removing friction points and delays, benefiting our Network Members and the end users they serve, exactly when and where it is needed most.”
Ximena Azcuy, Head of Network – Americas at Thunes
Thunes’ Venezuelan corridor operates on its proprietary SmartX Treasury System, for optimised liquidity management, and its Fortress Compliance Platform, supported by more than 50 global regulatory licenses, guaranteeing that every payment adheres to strict international compliance, anti-money laundering (AML), and security standards.
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Thunes is the Smart Superhighway to move money around the world. Thunes’ proprietary Direct Global Network allows Members to make payments in real-time in over 140 countries and more than 90 currencies. Thunes’ Network connects directly to over 12 billion mobile wallets, stablecoin wallets and bank accounts worldwide, as well as 15 billion cards via more than 220 different payment methods, such as GCash, M-Pesa, Airtel, MTN, Orange, JazzCash, Easypaisa, AliPay, WeChat Pay HK and many more.
Thunes’ Direct Global Network differentiates itself through its worldwide reach, in-house SmartX Treasury System and Fortress Compliance Platform, ensuring Members of the Network receive unrivaled speed, control, visibility, protection, and cost efficiencies when making real-time payments, globally. Members of Thunes’ Direct Global Network include gig economy giants like Uber and Deliveroo, super-apps like Grab and WeChat, MTOs, fintechs, PSPs and banks.
Headquartered in Singapore, Thunes has offices in 14 locations, including Barcelona, Beijing, Dubai, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, London, Manila, Nairobi, New York, Paris, Riyadh, San Francisco and Shanghai.
