Thunes, the Fintech moving money around the world, announces an alliance with WeChat Pay HK, the Hong Kong dollar denominated e-wallet, to enable its expansion in international money transfers. Thanks to the collaboration, WeChat Pay HK users based in Hong Kong are now able to send funds across the globe in real time and access affordable cross-border remittance options.
By leveraging Thunes’ Direct Global Network, WeChat Pay HK will reportedly benefit from Thunes’ solutions to enable real-time outbound money transfers to endpoints worldwide.
The collab is the deepening of an alliance between Thunes and Tencent, WeChat Pay HK’s parent firm. Members of the Thunes’ Direct Global Network have been able to send international payments “to users in the Chinese mainland since 2022 when Thunes became the first payment network partner to connect with Tencent Financial Technology, Tencent’s fintech arm.”
Via Thunes’ Direct Global Network, WeChat Pay HK will offer customers real-time, affordable international money transfers, “including popular payment corridors such as South East Asia, Europe and Australia.”
This benefits individuals such as expatriates who “rely on sending money back home.” Research from Thunes in its 2025 Report: Money Without Borders underscores the “role of speed in cross-border money transfers.”
The study revealed that 65% of expatriates prioritise “speed above all else when selecting a payment method.” According to Statista, in 2025, outbound money remittances from Hong Kong are projected “to reach $1.1 billion, with an expected annual growth rate of 5%.”
They are expected to reach a total of “$1.45 billion by 2030.”
As covered, Thunes’ Direct Global Network allows Members to make payments in real-time in more than 130 countries and over 80 currencies.
Thunes’ Network connects to over 7 billion mobile wallets and bank accounts worldwide, as well as “15 billion cards via more than 320 different payment methods, such as GCash, M-Pesa, Airtel, MTN, Orange, JazzCash, Easypaisa, AliPay, WeChat Pay HK.”
Thunes’ Direct Global Network differentiates itself “through its worldwide reach, in-house SmartX Treasury System and Fortress Compliance Platform, ensuring Members of the Network receive unrivaled speed, control, visibility, protection, and cost efficiencies when making real-time payments, globally.”
Members of Thunes’ Direct Global Network include gig economy firms like Uber and Deliveroo, super-apps like Grab and WeChat, MTOs, fintechs, PSPs and banks.
Headquartered in Singapore, Thunes currently maintains business offices in 14 locations, including Atlanta, Barcelona, Beijing, Dubai, Hong Kong, other major cities.
