PhotonPay Expands Global Payout Network

PhotonPay Expands Global Payout Network
PhotonPay Expands Global Payout Network

Hey FinTech Fanatic!

PhotonPay is doubling down on local payment rails, giving businesses a faster and more efficient way to collect and move money across markets.

The Hong Kong-based infrastructure provider says its payout network now spans more than 200 countries and regions and supports over 60 currencies, a sign that the real competition in cross-border payments is increasingly about localization, and not just reach.

This shift matters because payment companies are making it easier for merchants to go global from day one, rather than scaling into international operations gradually. 

Faster settlement, tighter treasury control, and more local payment options can make a real difference for merchants operating across borders.

As Chao Xu, PhotonPay’s VP of Product, put it, global payout is as much a localization challenge as a technical one, with each market bringing its own payment habits, clearing logic, and compliance requirements.

PhotonPay has also been broadening its product and regulatory footprint, including a recent partnership announcement tied to Stripe and a DFSA (Dubai Financial Services Authority) license update in the UAE.

The rest of today’s FinTech news is just a scroll away. Let’s dive in! 👇

Cheers,

Marcel


PODCAST RECOMMENDATION

🎤 How One Fraudster Created 100,000 Accounts. In the first session at MRC 2026 in Las Vegas, host Jordan Harris is joined by André Ferraz, CEO of Incognia, and fraud expert Dajana G. from Wolfe LLC to explore the rise of large-scale promo and refund abuse. The discussion highlights how fraudsters use advanced tools and why location-based identity is becoming critical to combating modern, AI-driven fraud. Watch the full podcast here

How One Fraudster Created 100,000 Accounts


INSIGHTS

➡️ API Integration Platform for Banks and FinTechs by DashDevs. In this article by Igor Tomych, CEO at DashDevs, modern FinTech products are described as relying on complex orchestration across multiple APIs, making a dedicated integration platform essential. The piece emphasizes treating this layer as a core product, separating it from core banking systems, standardizing APIs, and investing in observability and resilience to enable scalable, reliable growth.


FINTECH NEWS

🇬🇧 FinTech Ctrl Alt gets FCA authorisation after tokenising $1.2bn. The approval from the Financial Conduct Authority allows London-based Ctrl Alt to provide regulated investment services under the UK’s framework for investment firms, the company said in a statement.

🇺🇸 Aspire launches in the U.S. to modernize the finance stack for global businesses. With integrations from partners like Stripe and Deel, the platform aims to unify multi-currency banking, payroll, and financial operations for founders operating across borders.

🇺🇸 MrBeast’s digital push runs into a Skeptical Elizabeth Warren following its acquisition of FinTech app Step. Concerns center on potential plans to introduce crypto services to younger users, raising regulatory and consumer protection questions. 


PAYMENTS NEWS

🇦🇺 Airwallex launches new products. This month, Airwallex rolled out a few updates to its products, including a Balance Snapshot Report, expanded Asian payment methods (like JKOPay), AI-powered spend workflows, stronger approval controls, and improved localization. 

🇭🇰 PhotonPay expands Global Payout Network to accelerate localized payments worldwide. By deepening its integration with local banking systems and digital wallets, PhotonPay is enabling businesses to execute high-frequency, multi-scenario payments with unprecedented speed and precision.

🇺🇸 Circle launches CPN-Managed Payments, a full-stack platform for seamless stablecoin settlement. This fully managed, unified stablecoin settlement solution allows payment service providers (PSPs), FinTechs, banks, and global enterprises to access the speed and efficiency of regulated digital dollars without managing digital assets directly.

🇸🇬 Thunes joins Circle Payments Network Manage Payments to advance global payment interoperability. As part of this alliance, Thunes will enable access to CPN Managed Payments for its customers, enabling stablecoin-powered settlement capabilities while allowing them to continue operating within existing fiat-based workflows.

🇺🇸 Ant International supports the 2026 New York Liberty Season and Sustainability. This partnership aligns with Ant's global strategy to expand its digital payments ecosystem and promote financial inclusion, while also supporting a prominent women's professional sports franchise and its environmental initiatives.


OPEN BANKING NEWS

🇺🇦 Ukraine's national bank simplifies Open Banking payment initiation requirements. Under the updated requirements, PISPs are no longer required to populate the payment instruction field specifying the name of the recipient's payment service provider.


DIGITAL BANKING NEWS

🇺🇸 Hyperbeat, in partnership with Paxos Labs and Noah, has launched Liquid Banking, a non-custodial financial layer built on the Hyperliquid blockchain that unifies trading, borrowing, yield, and payments within a single on-chain account. The system is designed for users seeking full access to trading, savings, and payment functionality without transferring custody to centralized platforms.

🇧🇷 Nubank evolves contactless payments and integrates Pix, debit, and credit in a single tap on the phone. The new feature allows customers to make payments simply by bringing their device close to terminals compatible with contactless technology, with no need for a physical card.

🇫🇷 Revolut locks in Paris headquarters for Western Europe. The Paris headquarters will serve as a central hub for Revolut’s Western Europe operations, supporting expansion across key markets. As part of the move, Revolut plans to install its logo on the ground floor of the building, reinforcing its physical presence in Paris and its long-term commitment to customers in France.

🇲🇳 KakaoBank targets Mongolia as the next market in global expansion. "Mongolia represents a meaningful step in bringing KakaoBank's inclusive finance model, proven in Korea, to the global stage. We will use our achievements in Indonesia and Thailand as a springboard to expand further into global markets," CEO Yun Ho-young said.

🇨🇦 Scotiabank has rolled out new digital banking enhancements, including AI-powered payment prompts, real-time fraud alerts, and improved card controls. The updates aim to deliver more personalized experiences while strengthening security and protection against scams.


BLOCKCHAIN/CRYPTO NEWS

🇦🇺 Coinbase plans Australia expansion after securing a license. The company will initially launch crypto and equity perpetuals trading before expanding into futures, options, and equity trading and payments, according to John O’Loghlen, the company’s Asia Pacific Managing Director. 

🇺🇸 Binance.US plots comeback with derivatives and prediction markets push. The exchange aims to move beyond basic spot trading into retail derivatives and prediction markets as it seeks to regain market share lost to rivals such as Coinbase and Kraken.

🇺🇸 Crypto infrastructure firm Alchemy launches AI payments tools. AgentPay is a tool designed to let AI payment systems from providers work together through a single API endpoint. The product addresses fragmentation in agentic payments, where merchants currently need separate integrations for different protocols.

🌍 Major banks back SWIFT’s blockchain push, strengthening Ripple integration. The combined force of SWIFT’s blockchain-ledger strategy and Ripple’s infrastructure is poised to transform cross-border payments. By linking traditional banking with digital assets, this integration can slash settlement times, boost transparency, and lower transaction costs, all within regulatory frameworks.

🇸🇬 Kasikornbank enables Grab QR cross-border payments for Thai travellers. The blockchain-powered infrastructure will enable real-time cross-border transactions between Thailand and Singapore without requiring travellers to exchange currency or open overseas bank accounts.

🌍 Europe eyes Ethereum for Euro stablecoin layer, signaling a shift from experimentation to real financial infrastructure planning. With growing institutional adoption from players like BlackRock and UBS, blockchain is increasingly being considered alongside traditional systems to enhance speed, transparency, and efficiency.


PARTNERSHIPS 

🇹🇭 Mastercard and Krungthai Card complete first live agentic transaction in Thailand. The pilot leveraged Mastercard Agent Pay and was initiated by AI agents in a controlled pilot environment, ensuring security, transparency, and full consumer control.

🇪🇹 Mastercard deepens Ethiopia push as StarPay and Choice Microfinance seal strategic digital finance deals. The collaboration is expected to expand digital payment adoption, empower merchants, and unlock seamless cross-border transaction capabilities for Ethiopian businesses and consumers.

🇬🇷 Paymentology supports the next phase of growth for Snappi. With its cloud-based processing infrastructure, Paymentology is enabling Snappi to expand services, improve resilience, and meet evolving regulatory requirements. Keep reding

🇬🇧 Wirex and Utorg bring seamless crypto-to-card spending to 2M+ users worldwide. Through Wirex BaaS, Utorg will embed fully compliant card issuance and banking infrastructure directly into its consumer platform, giving users the ability to hold assets in self-custodial wallets and spend their balances at merchants worldwide through a Wirex-powered payment card.


DONEDEAL FUNDING NEWS

🇮🇳 FinTech lender KreditBee enters unicorn club with $280 million pre-IPO funding at $1.5 billion valuation. The round, which includes $80 million in secondaries, will be deployed to expand the credit business, especially the newer verticals - secured and MSME lending.

🇮🇳 Indian FinTech firm Glaas raises $5m for MSME credit rails. The funds will strengthen the balance sheet of Gromor Finance, its in-house NBFC, expand co-lending partnerships, and add more integrations with e-commerce, payments, and supply chain platforms.

🇬🇧 MillTech secures $60 million for expansion into the US market. The investment, which values the company at $325 million, will accelerate MillTech's expansion across North America, where unhedged FX exposure represents a multi-billion-dollar risk amid renewed currency volatility.

🇬🇧 Pharos Network announces $44M series A round, bringing total funding to $52M to scale onchain economy. Backed by a mix of traditional and crypto investors, the platform aims to bridge institutional capital with on-chain finance at scale. Read more

🇲🇽 FinTech APLAZO expands its financing with BBVA Spark to US$50 million to boost access to credit in Mexico. The partnership aims to expand access to flexible credit, helping millions of underserved consumers make purchases and build digital credit histories.


M&A

🇨🇦 SOL Strategies acquires Solana-Native Darklake Labs in $1.2 million deal, strengthening its capabilities in zero-knowledge technology on the Solana ecosystem. The deal brings Darklake’s privacy-focused infrastructure and team into SOL Strategies as it expands its role in on-chain financial innovation.


MOVERS AND SHAKERS

🇬🇧 MEXC appoints Vugar Usi as CEO to drive the global infinite opportunities vision. This transition initiates a strategic brand evolution, signaling MEXC's commitment to accelerating international expansion, cementing its user-centric philosophy, and driving its 'Infinite Opportunities' vision forward.

🌏 Visa's Sandeep Ghosh to step down as India and South Asia country manager. Sandeep Ghosh is stepping down after four years to pursue a new opportunity, with a successor already identified as part of a planned leadership transition. Continue reading


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