SINGAPORE — April 8, 2026
Executive Summary
Thunes, a global cross-border payments infrastructure provider, has announced that it has joined the Circle Payments Network (CPN) Managed Payments, marking a development in its ongoing efforts to advance interoperability across global financial systems. The collaboration enables Thunes to extend access to stablecoin-powered settlement capabilities through CPN while allowing customers to continue operating within existing fiat-based workflows. The initiative reflects a continued alignment between Thunes and Circle Internet Group, focused on bridging traditional banking systems, mobile wallets, and digital asset ecosystems within a unified payment infrastructure.
The announcement builds on an existing collaboration between the two companies established in 2024, centered on integrating USDC into Thunes’ Direct Global Network. Through this partnership, Thunes aims to enhance payment connectivity, enable near real-time settlement capabilities, and support cross-border financial transactions across multiple payment systems and geographies.
Announcement Overview
Thunes has formally joined the Circle Payments Network (CPN) Managed Payments, expanding its role within a network designed to support global payment interoperability through blockchain-enabled infrastructure. Under this arrangement, Thunes will provide its customers with access to CPN Managed Payments, enabling them to leverage stablecoin-based settlement mechanisms while maintaining compatibility with traditional fiat-based financial systems.
The integration is structured to allow Thunes’ customers—including financial institutions, payment service providers, and digital platforms—to utilize USDC-powered settlement rails for cross-border transactions. At the same time, users can continue operating within familiar financial workflows, ensuring continuity across existing systems.
This development reflects Thunes’ stated objective of enabling seamless interaction between different forms of financial infrastructure. By participating in CPN Managed Payments, Thunes is extending its capabilities to support transactions across bank accounts, mobile wallets, and digital asset environments, reinforcing its approach to global payment connectivity.
Key Announcement Details
Core Announcement Identification and Positioning
- Announcement Type: Network integration and managed payments partnership
- Announcing Organization: Thunes
- Partner Organization: Circle Internet Group
- Network Referenced: Circle Payments Network Managed Payments
- Announcement Date: April 8, 2026
- Dateline: Singapore
- Announcement Characterization: Significant milestone in Thunes’ mission toward global financial interoperability
- Mission Context: Achieving total interoperability across the global financial landscape
- Core Objective Statement: Bridging gaps between traditional banking, mobile wallets, and digital assets ecosystem
Alliance Structure and Customer Enablement
- Alliance Type: Strategic operational and infrastructure-level collaboration
- Customer Enablement: Thunes will enable access to CPN Managed Payments for its customers
- Customer Benefit: Access to stablecoin-powered settlement capabilities
- Operational Continuity: Customers continue operating within existing fiat-based workflows
- Hybrid Settlement Model: Co-existence of fiat-based workflows and stablecoin settlement
- Functional Outcome: Interoperability across systems irrespective of underlying payment technology
- Experience Objective: Enable payments to move as freely and instantly as information
- System Coverage: Traditional banking systems, mobile wallets, and digital assets
Interoperability Vision and Financial Ecosystem Bridging
- Interoperability Goal: Full interoperability across all payment systems
- Ecosystems Bridged:
- Traditional banking
- Mobile wallet infrastructure
- Digital assets ecosystem
- Cross-System Capability: Unified movement of money across disparate systems
- Experience Standardization: Consistent user experience regardless of payment channel or geography
- Geographic Experience Examples Referenced:
- Traditional bank account usage in Europe
- Mobile wallet usage in Africa
- Digital asset usage in Asia
- End-State Vision: Invisible, fast, and secure payments across all financial systems
Historical Collaboration Foundation (Since 2024)
- Collaboration Start Year: 2024
- Initial Collaboration Type: Early adoption of stablecoin-powered liquidity
- Key Integration: Integration of USDC into Thunes’ Direct Global Network
- Network Transformation: Transformation of liquidity management across Thunes’ global network
- Operational Evolution: Shift toward blockchain-enabled liquidity infrastructure
- Geographic Scope of Integration: More than 140 countries
- Strategic Continuity: Current partnership builds on prior collaboration
Stablecoin and Liquidity Infrastructure Details
- Stablecoin Used: USDC (USD Coin)
- Liquidity Mechanism: Stablecoin-powered liquidity
- Settlement Type: Near real-time settlement
- Traditional Limitation Removed: Constraints of traditional banking hours
- Traditional Dependency Reduced: Need for heavy prefunding in local nostro accounts
- Liquidity Accessibility: Continuous and global
- Infrastructure Layer: Blockchain-based settlement rails
Member-Level Operational Benefits
24/7 Prefunding
- Capability: Round-the-clock liquidity management
- Operational Availability: Continuous prefunding irrespective of banking hours
- Funding Flexibility: Real-time funding capabilities
- Global Coverage: Applicable across all geographies served
Capital Efficiency
- Financial Impact: Release of millions in working capital
- Capital Constraint Removed: Funds previously trapped in dormant accounts
- Efficiency Gain: Improved utilization of capital resources
- Operational Optimization: Reduced need for idle liquidity buffers
Unrivaled Reach
- Wallet and Account Connectivity: 12 billion mobile wallets, stablecoin wallets, and bank accounts
- Blockchain Integration: Connection to blockchain rails for speed and transparency
- Network Scale: Extensive global connectivity across payment endpoints
- Transparency Capability: Enhanced transaction visibility through blockchain
Network Infrastructure and Connectivity Scale
- Network Name: Thunes Direct Global Network
- Country Coverage: Over 140 countries
- Currency Coverage: More than 90 currencies
- Wallet Connectivity: Over 12 billion wallets and accounts
- Card Connectivity: 15 billion cards
- Payment Methods Supported: Over 220 payment methods
- Examples of Payment Methods:
- GCash
- M-Pesa
- Airtel
- MTN
- Orange
- JazzCash
- Easypaisa
- AliPay
- WeChat Pay HK
- Network Characterization: Real-time payment network with global reach
Technology Stack and Internal Systems
- Treasury System: SmartX Treasury System
- Compliance System: Fortress Compliance Platform
- Functional Capabilities Provided:
- Speed
- Control
- Visibility
- Protection
- Cost efficiency
- System Ownership: In-house developed infrastructure
- Operational Focus: Real-time global payment execution
Customer Segments and Member Composition
- Primary Members: Banks, fintech companies, payment service providers (PSPs)
- Additional Members: Money transfer operators (MTOs)
- Gig Economy Platforms: Uber, Deliveroo
- Super Applications: Grab, WeChat
- Ecosystem Coverage: Broad participation across financial and technology platforms
- Customer Base Characterization: Entities requiring cross-border payment capabilities
Leadership Statements and Strategic Intent
Thunes Leadership Statement
- Executive: Chloé Mayenobe
- Title: Deputy CEO
- Key Strategic Points:
- Joining CPN Managed Payments as a natural next step
- Focus on removing borders from money movement
- Deepening long-standing collaboration with Circle
- Ensuring consistent payment experience across different technologies
- Building bridges between financial ecosystems
- Supporting future global economic infrastructure
Circle Leadership Statement
- Executive: Nikhil Chandhok
- Title: Chief Product and Technology Officer
- Key Strategic Points:
- Recognition of Thunes’ global connectivity expertise
- Emphasis on operational scale across diverse ecosystems
- Contribution to development of Circle Payments Network
- Expansion of stablecoin-powered settlement access globally
Circle Platform, Network, and Infrastructure Components
- Company Name: Circle Internet Group
- Regulatory Status: Member FDIC (as referenced in PR context)
- Core Platform Type: Internet financial platform company
- Primary Mission: Building an open, global economy through blockchain infrastructure
- Key Platform Components:
- USDC stablecoin network
- Circle Payments Network
- Arc blockchain platform
- Arc Description: Enterprise-grade blockchain designed as an economic operating system
- Platform Users: Enterprises, financial institutions, developers
- Core Capability: Programmable blockchain infrastructure and digital asset integration
Thunes Corporate Profile and Global Presence
- Headquarters Location: Singapore
- Global Office Locations:
- Atlanta
- Barcelona
- Beijing
- Dubai
- Hong Kong
- Johannesburg
- London
- Manila
- Nairobi
- Paris
- Riyadh
- San Francisco
- Shanghai
- Corporate Positioning: Smart Superhighway for global money movement
- Operational Identity: Provider of real-time cross-border payment infrastructure
Strategic Outcomes and Long-Term Objectives
- Primary Strategic Outcome: Expansion of accessible financial solutions globally
- Interoperability Objective: Unified financial ecosystem across all payment systems
- Growth Enablement: Support for entry into new markets
- Product Expansion Capability: Ability to broaden product offerings over time
- Customer Reach Expansion: Increased access across global financial participants
- Operational Vision: Payments functioning with speed and invisibility
- End-State Goal: Money moving as freely and instantly as information
Integration of Stablecoin-Powered Settlement Capabilities
As part of its participation in CPN Managed Payments, Thunes will enable its customers to access stablecoin-based settlement infrastructure, specifically leveraging USDC as a settlement medium. This capability allows transactions to be processed using blockchain-based rails while maintaining compatibility with traditional fiat systems.
The integration is designed to operate within existing payment workflows, ensuring that customers do not need to transition away from established financial processes. Instead, stablecoin functionality is introduced as an additional layer that enhances settlement efficiency and transaction speed.
This approach reflects a hybrid operational model where digital assets and fiat systems coexist, enabling institutions to adopt new settlement technologies without disrupting existing infrastructure. The collaboration supports the movement of funds across different financial ecosystems while maintaining consistency in operational processes.
A Legacy of Innovation: Thunes and Circle Since 2024
The current announcement builds upon a collaboration between Thunes and Circle that began in 2024, when both companies initiated efforts to integrate stablecoin-powered liquidity solutions into Thunes’ global payment network. This earlier phase focused on incorporating USDC into Thunes’ Direct Global Network, enabling enhanced liquidity management across international markets.
Since that integration, the companies have worked to expand the use of stablecoin-based settlement mechanisms within Thunes’ infrastructure. The use of USDC has enabled near real-time settlement capabilities, allowing transactions to be processed without reliance on traditional banking hours.
This development has also addressed operational challenges associated with cross-border payments, including the need for pre-funded local accounts, commonly referred to as “nostro” accounts. By leveraging blockchain-based settlement rails, Thunes has reduced the dependency on such structures, enabling more efficient allocation of capital.
Operational Capabilities Enabled Through USDC Integration
Through the integration of USDC into its network, Thunes has introduced several operational capabilities for its members. These capabilities are structured to support liquidity management, transaction efficiency, and global connectivity.
24/7 Prefunding Capability
Thunes’ network enables round-the-clock liquidity management, allowing members to fund transactions at any time, regardless of traditional banking hours. This capability supports continuous transaction processing across global markets.
Capital Efficiency Optimization
The use of stablecoin-based settlement mechanisms reduces the need for funds to remain idle in pre-funded accounts. This allows members to optimize working capital, freeing up resources that would otherwise be held in dormant accounts.
Expanded Network Reach
Thunes’ infrastructure connects over 12 billion mobile wallets, stablecoin wallets, and bank accounts, enabling broad access to payment endpoints. This connectivity supports transactions across diverse financial ecosystems, including digital and traditional channels.
These operational enhancements are made possible through the integration of blockchain-based settlement rails, which provide transparency and efficiency in transaction processing.
Leadership Commentary
Chloé Mayenobe, Deputy CEO at Thunes, stated:
“Joining CPN Managed Payments is the natural next step in our journey to make the world’s payment systems truly interoperable. Our goal has always been to remove the borders from money movement. By deepening our long-standing collaboration with Circle, we are ensuring that whether a customer uses a traditional bank account in Europe, a mobile wallet in Africa, or digital assets in Asia, the experience is fast, secure, and invisible. We are building the bridge between these universes to support the future of the global economy.”
Nikhil Chandhok, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Circle, added:
“Thunes brings deep expertise in global payment connectivity and operational scale. Their experience operating across diverse payment ecosystems provides valuable input as we continue to develop the Circle Payments Network and expand access to stablecoin-powered settlement for financial institutions globally.”
Global Network Infrastructure and Reach
Thunes’ Direct Global Network operates as a proprietary payment infrastructure that enables real-time transactions across more than 140 countries and supports over 90 currencies. The network connects directly to a wide range of financial endpoints, including mobile wallets, bank accounts, and payment cards.
The network’s connectivity extends to:
- Over 12 billion mobile wallets, stablecoin wallets, and bank accounts
- 15 billion payment cards
- More than 220 payment methods, including widely used platforms such as GCash, M-Pesa, Airtel, MTN, Orange, JazzCash, Easypaisa, AliPay, and WeChat Pay HK
This extensive reach allows Thunes to facilitate transactions across multiple payment ecosystems, supporting a diverse range of financial use cases.
Technology Infrastructure Supporting Payments Operations
Thunes’ network is supported by proprietary systems designed to manage treasury operations and ensure compliance across global markets.
SmartX Treasury System
The SmartX Treasury System enables efficient management of liquidity and funds across multiple currencies and jurisdictions. This system supports real-time transaction processing and financial operations within the network.
Fortress Compliance Platform
The Fortress Compliance Platform provides regulatory and security frameworks to ensure that transactions adhere to applicable standards and requirements. This platform supports the secure movement of funds across different financial systems.
Together, these systems contribute to the operational capabilities of Thunes’ network, supporting transaction speed, visibility, and control.
About Thunes
Thunes operates as a global payments infrastructure provider, offering a Direct Global Network that enables real-time cross-border transactions. The company supports payments in over 140 countries and more than 90 currencies, connecting a wide range of financial endpoints including mobile wallets, bank accounts, and payment cards.
The network’s capabilities are designed to support financial institutions, payment service providers, and digital platforms in delivering cross-border payment services. Thunes’ customer base includes gig economy platforms, super-apps, money transfer operators, fintech companies, payment service providers, and banks.
Headquartered in Singapore, Thunes maintains a global presence with offices in multiple locations, including Atlanta, Barcelona, Beijing, Dubai, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, London, Manila, Nairobi, Paris, Riyadh, San Francisco, and Shanghai.
About Circle Internet Group (Circle)
Circle Internet Group (Circle) is a financial technology company focused on building infrastructure for the global digital economy. The company provides platforms and tools designed to support financial applications powered by blockchain technology.
Circle’s offerings include:
- USDC, a widely used stablecoin
- Circle Payments Network, supporting global money movement
- Arc, an enterprise-grade blockchain platform
The company’s infrastructure is used by enterprises, financial institutions, and developers to support financial innovation at scale. Circle’s platform is designed to enable programmable financial systems and facilitate the integration of digital assets into global financial operations.
Media Contact
For additional information, visit thunes.com.
Source Attribution
Source: Company announcement
