Thunes and Ecobank Group announced a collaboration on October 29, 2025 to enable instant cross-border payments across Sub-Saharan Africa. Revealed in Lomé and Singapore, the deal pairs Thunes’ global payouts infrastructure with Ecobank’s pan-African banking footprint. The partners position the move as a step toward serving the next billion users with faster, more accessible digital finance.
Partnership scope
The agreement operationalizes a 2024 memorandum of understanding previously signed between Ecobank and TransferTo, Thunes’ holding company. Both organizations say this transition from intent to execution will modernize how money is sent, received, and managed across borders. The promise centers on faster settlement, simpler access to liquidity, and broader reach for individuals and businesses.
Rollout and coverage
A phased deployment will extend across Ecobank’s 32 markets in line with local regulations. Customers will progressively connect to Thunes’ Direct Global Network, which spans more than 130 countries. That network integrates with billions of endpoints worldwide, including mobile wallets, bank accounts, and card rails, to deliver real-time transfers.
Market impact and inclusion
Ecobank and Thunes frame the initiative as an inclusion play that lowers barriers to regional and international payments. Entrepreneurs are expected to gain easier access to suppliers and customers beyond borders, while households can support relatives more predictably. Communities could benefit from quicker disbursements and participation in the digital economy as liquidity moves with fewer delays.
Executive commentary
Thunes co-founder and chief executive Peter De Caluwe characterized the partnership as a major advance in how payments flow across Africa. He emphasized the fit between Thunes’ infrastructure and Ecobank’s reach, highlighting speed, reliability, and new growth paths for users. He also tied the project to Thunes’ mission of enabling the next billion end users to engage in the global economy.
Ecobank’s positioning
Ecobank Group chief executive Jeremy Awori said the collaboration aligns with the bank’s borderless banking strategy and financial inclusion mandate. He pointed to Ecobank’s core infrastructure combined with Thunes’ fintech capabilities as the engine for real-time access at scale. The bank expects the partnership to reinforce digital adoption and commerce across its footprint.
First market live
Togo is the initial launch market, with Ecobank customers now able to receive instant payments originating from global remittance providers. The Togo go-live is presented as proof of operational readiness for subsequent expansion. Additional markets will come online in stages as technical and regulatory milestones are met.
Company backgrounds
Headquartered in Singapore, Thunes operates a proprietary Direct Global Network designed for real-time payments across more than 80 currencies. The network connects directly to mobile wallets, bank accounts, and card schemes through hundreds of payment methods, supported by treasury and compliance systems intended to manage speed, control, and protection. Its member base includes platforms, money transfer operators, fintechs, payment service providers, and banks operating at global scale.
Ecobank’s regional platform
Ecobank Group describes itself as the leading private pan-African banking group with operations in 34 Sub-Saharan African countries and additional international centers. The bank serves more than 32 million customers across consumer, commercial, corporate, and investment banking through digital and physical channels. Its unified platform provides a single gateway for payments, cash management, trade, and investment across the continent.
Strategic implications
The tie-up reflects a broader shift in Africa’s payment landscape, where banks and fintechs co-build rails rather than compete for ownership of endpoints. Real-time capabilities are increasingly expected for remittances, merchant payouts, and small business settlements. With coverage expanding in phases, the collaboration’s success will hinge on consistent uptime, regulatory navigation, and partner integration depth.
Thunes and Ecobank are moving from memorandum to measurable delivery with live operations in Togo and a roadmap covering 32 markets. If execution matches ambition, millions could gain faster, more predictable access to funds that support commerce and household finances. The partners aim to create a durable corridor between local banking networks and a global payout infrastructure, advancing Africa’s digital economy.