Breaking Cross-Border Barriers: Real-Time Payouts and Local Collections in B2B FX
For FX providers, payment platforms and corporate treasurers, the cross-border payments ambition is straightforward: enable international money movement that feels as seamless as domestic payments. The reality is more complicated.
Many institutions still grapple with fragmented networks, limited access to emerging markets, and a lack of infrastructure to support both payouts and collections. Can these barriers be overcome? Yes, but many teams are struggling to do so alone.
Beyond payouts: the new importance of local collections
Historically, innovation in payments has focused on outbound transactions – paying suppliers, taxes, tariffs or fees. Yet, for businesses expanding abroad, the ability to collect funds locally is increasingly a decisive factor in whether or not a new market move can be made.
Without such capabilities, companies must set up additional relationships with local PSPs, adding cost and slowing market entry, or preventing it entirely.
FX providers who are able to offer local collection mechanisms stand out from their competitors by meeting customers where they are.
Local collection offers convenience, whether that means accepting funds through Pix in Brazil, bank transfers in Nigeria, or mobile wallets in the Philippines.
Crucially, it allows funds to be settled globally in the currency the business chooses. For many clients, this is the difference between a payments provider that offers FX services and one that enables global commerce.
The scale of global B2B payments
The numbers underline why efficiency matters. FXC Intelligence estimates that global B2B cross-border payments reached USD 31.6 trillion in 2024 and could grow to nearly USD 50 trillion by 2032.
The broader cross-border payments market, which includes consumer and retail flows, was valued at USD 212.55 billion in 2024 and is forecast to expand to USD 320.73 billion by 2030, according to Grand View Research.
At the same time, many banks have withdrawn correspondent relationships in smaller or higher risk markets. This process of “de-risking” has left growing economies underserved and forced businesses to seek alternative infrastructure (ZEW).
The conclusion is clear: the demand for scale is rising, but new infrastructure options are needed to meet it.
Why fragmentation slows cross-border FX
Payment providers often rely on webs of correspondent banks and local partners to reach multiple corridors. This patchwork creates operational drag. Settlement can take days, as transactions route through several intermediaries.
Include mobile wallets and the proliferation of digital asset ecosystems and reconciliation becomes more complex, as ledgers and formats multiply. Compliance checks and counterparty risk increase with every additional player and hidden spreads accumulate, eating into clients’ margins.
In short, fragmentation adds friction and erodes trust in the efficiency and transparency of cross border payments.
B2B payments in emerging markets: hidden value at stake
The inefficiencies are most visible in emerging markets, which are simultaneously the fastest growing and most underserved regions for payment services. Local intermediaries often embed one to three per cent spreads above the interbank rate, creating margin leakage that compounds significantly at scale.
But growing demand for B2B cross-border payments looks unlikely to be held back by such challenges.
Trade between China and Latin America reached USD 518 billion in 2024, according to figures from the Chinese Government. In Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa dominate trade, yet studies suggest 30 to 40 per cent of intra African trade occurs outside formal rails.
In Southeast Asia, economies such as Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines are experiencing a surge in ecommerce and outsourcing, intensifying demand for reliable FX and local settlement.
Traditional correspondent banking often requires US dollar conversions and multiple intermediaries, which can take value from an end-to-end payment. Providers that can connect directly to local rails and settle in local currency gain a decisive advantage and reduce the risk of unexpected cost or delays.
Real-time payouts and the rise of local rails
Across both mature and emerging corridors, the expectation among market participants is shifting towards real-time settlement. Domestic payment systems such as Pix in Brazil or UPI in India are changing customer expectations, making delays in cross-border transfers less acceptable.
For B2B payment platforms, being able to plug into these local real-time rails and deliver FX at transparent rates is quickly becoming an essential capability. Those unable to adapt risk being seen as outdated, even if their coverage looks broad on paper.
Similarly, while the increasingly accessible option of stablecoin payments promise users speed and flexibility even in cross-border payments, those benefits are only realised through a direct connection to reliable, real-time payout rails.
Why connected infrastructure matters for FX and payments specialists
For brokers, PSPs and cross-border platforms, access to high-demand corridors without the burden of building and maintaining a patchwork of local relationships is incredibly valuable. It improves client retention by addressing long-standing pain points such as opaque spreads and slow settlement, and it reduces operational drag by simplifying reconciliation, compliance and risk management.
The more connected and efficient the infrastructure, the more room there is to focus on growth and client experience rather than firefighting.
The future of cross-border payments
The cross-border payments industry is moving into a new era. Businesses expect faster settlement, transparent FX, deeper access to emerging markets, and flexibility to both pay and collect in local currencies or stablecoins. Providers that cannot meet these expectations will struggle to compete.
Thunes is helping to shape this future. With a single integration, our Direct Global Network provides access to more than 130 countries, 80 currencies and 320 payment methods, supporting real time local payouts and inbound collections. For FX and payments companies, that means less friction, greater reach and the ability to meet client needs anywhere in the world.
Cross-border payments shouldn’t be a problem to manage. They can be, and increasingly must be, a platform for growth.
Contact us to learn how you can leverage cross-border payments to supercharge your business growth.
