Key Takeaways
- • Thunes positions stablecoins as a core component of its Direct Global Network, citing just-in-time prefunding and fiat-to-digital bridging for cross-border payouts.
- • According to the company's report with Circle, pre-funding trapped in accounts represents an estimated $10 trillion global opportunity, per industry analysis Thunes assessed.
- • Thunes says stablecoin settlements can cut remittance fees from an average of about 6% to below 0.2% in some use cases, versus two to five day legacy settlement times.
- • Thunes lists a timeline of partnerships and launches, including Circle (October 2024), Ripple (September 2025), Yellow Card (October 2025), and Circle Payments Network Managed Payments (April 2026).
- • The network reaches 11,500 banks via Swift messaging plus mobile and stablecoin wallets, which Thunes positions as a single integration point for PSPs.
Summary
Thunes, a cross-border payments infrastructure provider, has published a corporate piece arguing that stablecoins have moved from a niche crypto tool to a regulated and rapidly expanding category of payment solutions. The company frames the discussion for Payment Service Providers (PSPs) and global platforms as a question of how digital assets integrate into existing regulated payment architectures rather than whether they have a role.
The article's central argument concerns liquidity. Cross-border transfers, according to Thunes, rely on correspondent banks, manual compliance checks and idle pre-funded nostro accounts, and legacy payments can take two to five days to settle with fees averaging around 6% for many remittances. Thunes cites a report it co-authored with Circle, Stablecoins and the Future of FX: A New Era of Liquidity, which assesses industry analysis estimating a $10 trillion global opportunity tied to pre-funding trapped in accounts. The company says regulated, fiat-backed stablecoins such as USDC allow a shift from a pre-fund-and-wait model to just-in-time liquidity, and that in some use cases fees can fall below 0.2%.
On access, Thunes says the greater challenge is bridging blockchain liquidity to local fiat systems. The company states it has embedded stablecoin liquidity in its Direct Global Network, which it says connects to 11,500 banks via Swift messaging along with mobile and stablecoin wallets. Milestones cited include a Circle partnership in October 2024, Ripple joining the network in September 2025, the launch of Pay-to-Stablecoin-Wallets and Yellow Card integration in October 2025, Mastercard's planned deployment of the Pay-to-Stablecoin wallet solution in November 2025, and joining Circle Payments Network Managed Payments in April 2026. Thunes also reports enabling pay-to-stablecoin-wallet payments via Swift in March 2026.
Thunes outlines three service pillars: integrating stablecoins for liquidity management, providing on- and off-ramp services to digital asset companies, and allowing network members to pay out to USDC and USDT wallets. It cites treasury efficiency from holding a single USDC balance, operational agility outside banking cut-offs, and embedded compliance through its Fortress Compliance Platform. The article also anticipates that stablecoins and central bank digital currencies may coexist, with regulated stablecoins expected to lead in retail and cross-border innovation. Note that the figures on fees, the $10 trillion opportunity and the bank count are company-stated and not independently verified in the source material.
The article's central argument concerns liquidity. Cross-border transfers, according to Thunes, rely on correspondent banks, manual compliance checks and idle pre-funded nostro accounts, and legacy payments can take two to five days to settle with fees averaging around 6% for many remittances. Thunes cites a report it co-authored with Circle, Stablecoins and the Future of FX: A New Era of Liquidity, which assesses industry analysis estimating a $10 trillion global opportunity tied to pre-funding trapped in accounts. The company says regulated, fiat-backed stablecoins such as USDC allow a shift from a pre-fund-and-wait model to just-in-time liquidity, and that in some use cases fees can fall below 0.2%.
On access, Thunes says the greater challenge is bridging blockchain liquidity to local fiat systems. The company states it has embedded stablecoin liquidity in its Direct Global Network, which it says connects to 11,500 banks via Swift messaging along with mobile and stablecoin wallets. Milestones cited include a Circle partnership in October 2024, Ripple joining the network in September 2025, the launch of Pay-to-Stablecoin-Wallets and Yellow Card integration in October 2025, Mastercard's planned deployment of the Pay-to-Stablecoin wallet solution in November 2025, and joining Circle Payments Network Managed Payments in April 2026. Thunes also reports enabling pay-to-stablecoin-wallet payments via Swift in March 2026.
Thunes outlines three service pillars: integrating stablecoins for liquidity management, providing on- and off-ramp services to digital asset companies, and allowing network members to pay out to USDC and USDT wallets. It cites treasury efficiency from holding a single USDC balance, operational agility outside banking cut-offs, and embedded compliance through its Fortress Compliance Platform. The article also anticipates that stablecoins and central bank digital currencies may coexist, with regulated stablecoins expected to lead in retail and cross-border innovation. Note that the figures on fees, the $10 trillion opportunity and the bank count are company-stated and not independently verified in the source material.
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