A landmark win for a cross‑border payments engine
London – On June 25, 2026, Thunes, the London‑based payments network that bills itself as a “Smart Superhighway,” was honored with two top honors at the Juniper Research Future Digital Awards for Fintech & Payments 2026. The firm’s Direct Global Network captured the Platinum Award for Best Cross‑Border cross‑border payments Platform, while its Business Payments solution secured the Gold Award for Best B2B Payment Platform.
Juniper Research’s annual awards are intended to spotlight firms that have demonstrated tangible innovation, speed of execution, and market disruption in the financial‑technology arena. The 2026 ceremony marks the second consecutive year Thunes has been recognized, following a double‑win in 2025. An independent panel of analysts evaluated the nominees, and Thunes’ back‑to‑back success signals that its infrastructure continues to gain traction among global financial institutions.
Why the awards matter
The Juniper Future Digital Awards are not merely ceremonial; they serve as a barometer for investors, regulators, and enterprise clients seeking reliable partners in a fragmented payments ecosystem. Winning a Platinum award for cross‑border capability positions Thunes alongside a limited cohort of platforms that can claim truly global reach, while the Gold award for B2B payments highlights the firm’s growing relevance to corporates, marketplaces, and gig‑economy platforms that need seamless, multi‑currency settlement.
For a company that operates a network linking billions of endpoints, the recognition also validates its compliance and risk‑management layers—critical components in an environment where anti‑money‑laundering (AML) scrutiny and data‑privacy regulations are tightening worldwide.
The Direct Global Network: scale at a glance
At the heart of Thunes’ Platinum‑winning platform is its Direct Global Network, a proprietary architecture that claims connectivity to over 12 billion mobile wallets and bank accounts and 15 billion cards spread across 140 countries. This scale is made possible by two core subsystems:
- SmartX Treasury System – a real‑time treasury engine that aggregates liquidity, automates currency conversion, and executes settlement in milliseconds.
- Fortress Compliance Platform – a rule‑based, AI enhanced compliance suite that screens transactions against global sanction lists, monitors AML risk, and provides audit‑ready reporting.
Together, these components aim to eliminate the friction traditionally associated with cross‑border payouts, enabling members to move money instantly, transparently, and with full regulatory oversight.
Business Payments: a B2B‑focused toolkit
The Gold‑winning Business Payments solution is tailored for a spectrum of enterprise users, from neobanks and fintech platforms to large marketplaces and gig‑economy operators. Its feature set includes:
- Salary and supplier disbursements – automated, bulk payouts that can be routed to local bank accounts or mobile wallets in the recipient’s native currency.
- Invoice financing and prefunding – mechanisms that allow merchants to receive funds before goods are shipped, reducing cash‑flow gaps.
- Cross‑currency treasury management – dynamic FX handling that lets enterprises consolidate foreign‑exchange exposure and settle in dozens of currencies without needing multiple correspondent banks.
- Localized distribution – the ability to pay billions of endpoints in their preferred local payment method, a critical factor for platforms operating in emerging markets where cash‑centric habits remain strong.
By abstracting the complexities of multi‑jurisdictional payments, Thunes positions itself as a plug‑and‑play layer for businesses that want to expand internationally without building their own banking relationships.
Compliance as a competitive moat
Regulatory compliance is no longer an optional add‑on for global payments providers; it is a decisive differentiator. Thunes’ Fortress platform incorporates machine learning models that adapt to evolving sanction regimes and AML typologies, reducing false positives while maintaining a high detection rate. The system also generates real‑time alerts for suspicious activity, a feature that has become indispensable for banks facing heightened supervisory expectations.
In a recent interview, Thunes’ Chief Revenue Officer, Andrew Stewart, emphasized the strategic importance of this compliance focus:
“These awards from Juniper Research reflect the market‑leading nature of the cross‑border payment solutions we deliver every single day. Our focus is on providing our Members with a highly interoperable network that removes systemic friction and enables them to scale effortlessly across borders. Recognition like this underscores the strength of our infrastructure and fuels our commitment. We are incredibly grateful to our Members for their continued trust and collaboration.”
Market implications and industry context
The cross‑border payments market is projected to exceed $30 billion in transaction volume by 2028, driven by the rise of e‑commerce, digital gig work, and the continued globalization of supply chains. Traditional correspondent banking models, with their high fees and slow settlement times, are losing ground to API‑first platforms that promise near‑real‑time transfers.
Thunes’ dual award win signals that its model is resonating with both enterprise users and the broader ecosystem. The company’s ability to connect billions of endpoints directly reduces the need for multiple intermediaries, translating into lower costs for end‑users and higher margins for participating financial institutions.
Moreover, the platform’s focus on interoperability—the capacity to route payments between banks, mobile wallets, and even digital‑asset ledgers—aligns with emerging open‑banking standards in Europe and the United States. As regulators push for greater data sharing and standardized APIs, Thunes’ architecture appears well‑positioned to serve as a connective tissue between legacy systems and next‑gen fintech solutions.
Competitive landscape: who’s watching?
Thunes operates in a crowded arena that includes established players such as Ripple, Wise, WorldRemit, and newer entrants like Currencycloud and Thunes’ own peers in the API‑payments space. What sets Thunes apart, according to analysts, is the sheer breadth of its endpoint coverage combined with a unified compliance layer.
- Ripple focuses heavily on blockchain‑based settlement, which offers speed but still requires on‑ramps to fiat networks.
- Wise excels at transparent consumer remittances but has a more limited B2B suite.
- Currencycloud provides a strong API for B2B payments but does not claim the same global wallet reach.
By offering both a massive endpoint network and a robust B2B toolkit, Thunes is carving a niche that bridges consumer‑focused remittance services and enterprise‑grade treasury solutions.
Analyst perspective
Industry analysts at Juniper Research noted that “the integration of a proprietary treasury engine with a compliance‑first architecture is a differentiator that could set a new benchmark for cross‑border payment platforms.” They also observed that the Gold award for Business Payments reflects a growing demand for “embedded finance” capabilities, where platforms embed payment services directly into their user experiences rather than redirecting to external providers.
Financial‑technology consultants have highlighted Thunes’ potential to serve as a “global payments hub” for neobanks looking to launch in new jurisdictions without establishing local banking relationships. The company’s ability to provide instant settlement and real‑time reporting could also appeal to regulators seeking greater transparency in cross‑border money flows.
Looking ahead: what’s next for Thunes?
While the awards cement Thunes’ reputation, the company faces the ongoing challenge of maintaining network reliability as transaction volumes climb. Future product roadmaps are expected to focus on:
- Enhanced AI‑driven fraud detection – expanding the Fortress platform’s predictive capabilities.
- Deeper integration with digital‑asset ecosystems – enabling seamless conversion between fiat and stablecoins.
- Expanded API catalog – offering more granular controls for enterprise clients, such as custom settlement rules and multi‑party escrow functions.
The firm’s leadership has hinted at potential partnerships with major cloud providers to scale infrastructure and with regional banks to deepen local liquidity pools. If executed well, these moves could further solidify Thunes’ position as a cornerstone of the emerging “global payments superhighway.”
Bottom line
Thunes’ double win at the Juniper Research Future Digital Awards 2026 underscores the company’s growing influence in the cross‑border payments sector. By marrying an extensive endpoint network with a sophisticated compliance engine and a versatile B2B suite, Thunes offers a compelling alternative to both legacy banking corridors and newer fintech challengers. As the industry continues to prioritize speed, cost‑efficiency, and regulatory transparency, Thunes’ platform appears poised to play an increasingly central role in the global flow of money.
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