Thunes has launched instant money transfer services to China’s mainland following a deeper collaboration with UnionPay International.

The partnership introduces a direct technical connection between Thunes’ Direct Global Network and UnionPay’s infrastructure, expanding support for the UnionPay MoneyExpress remittance service.

The integration allows Thunes’ members, including banks, digital banks, e-wallets, super apps, gig economy platforms and money transfer operators, to send funds directly to UnionPay debit cards issued by 79 major Chinese banks.

This includes ICBC, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Bank of Communications and China Merchants Bank.

Cross-border transfers to China have traditionally involved recipients having to manually declare funds, along with hidden fees and delays.

With the new connection, payments are credited to recipients in real time or within 12 hours, with exchange rates confirmed upfront and funds delivered directly in renminbi without manual intervention.

The service enables what both companies describe as a pay-to-card experience, where international transfers follow a domestic-style payment flow.

Aik Boon Tan, Chief Network Officer at Thunes, said,

“Establishing a direct connection with UnionPay International is a game-changer for our Direct Global Network. This goes beyond access, it represents a high-speed, direct-to-card rail into a leading economy without the friction of traditional cross-border payments.

Our members around the world can offer their customers a truly domestic-like payment experience to a massive base of UnionPay cardholders, ensuring that sending money to China’s mainland is as simple as sending a text message.”

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