Singapore-based cross-border payments firm Thunes is expanding its stablecoin settlement capabilities through a new collaboration with Circle, as payment infrastructure providers step up efforts to connect blockchain-based rails with traditional financial systems.
Thunes said it had joined Circle Payments Network Managed Payments, enabling its customers to access stablecoin-powered settlement while continuing to operate within existing fiat-based workflows.
The partnership is intended to improve interoperability across the global payments landscape by linking traditional banking systems, mobile wallets and digital asset networks.
The move builds on a relationship established in 2024, when Thunes and Circle began working together on stablecoin-powered liquidity.
Since then, Circle’s USDC stablecoin has been integrated into Thunes’ Direct Global Network, which spans more than 140 countries.
According to Thunes, the use of USDC for near real-time settlement has reduced dependence on traditional banking hours and lowered the need for heavy pre-funding in local nostro accounts.
The company said this allows banks, money transfer operators and gig economy platforms on its network to manage liquidity around the clock, improve capital efficiency and broaden connectivity across bank accounts, mobile wallets, and stablecoin wallets.
Circle said the tie-up would support further development of its payments network and widen access to stablecoin-based settlement for financial institutions globally.
The partnership highlights how stablecoins are increasingly being positioned as part of mainstream payment infrastructure rather than solely as crypto trading instruments.
For firms such as Thunes, the attraction lies in reducing liquidity friction in cross-border transfers and freeing up capital that would otherwise sit idle in correspondent banking arrangements.
Still, broader adoption is likely to depend on regulatory clarity and on whether financial institutions become more comfortable using stablecoins deeper within day-to-day payment flows.
