Thunes, the Singapore-based payment firm, has announced a major expansion of its Direct Global Network across the Middle East.
The expansion introduces new payout services into six key markets: the Kingdom of Bahrain, Lebanon, the Sultanate of Oman, South Yemen, Syria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the firm said in a statement on Monday.
This move significantly enhances Thunes’ cross-border infrastructure in the region, delivering faster, highly transparent payment solutions for Members of Thunes’ Direct Global Network.
Members can now process payouts to millions of bank accounts, mobile wallets, and cash pickup locations in local currencies throughout the region, either through direct API integration with Thunes or by leveraging existing Swift connectivity.
The regional rollout builds on Thunes’ expansion of real-time payments across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in September 2025 and targets diverse economic needs across the Middle East, including powering digital economies, fueling enterprise and consumer growth, delivering vital remittance lifelines.
In Bahrain, where the non-oil sector contributed 85 percent of real gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025, Thunes supports direct bank payouts aligned with the nation’s National Digital Economy Strategy.
In Oman, bank account payouts support the digital transformation goals of Oman Vision 2040 alongside projected GDP growth of 4 percent in 2026.
In the UAE, a primary regional payments hub driven by the National Payment Systems Strategy (NPSS), Thunes now supports bank account payouts for both consumers and enterprises.
In markets relying on remittance flows for economic resilience and recovery, Thunes provides critical access points to Lebanon, South Yemen and Syria/
For Lebanon, the firm is supporting mobile wallet payouts in a market receiving roughly $7 billion per year in remittances.
For South Yemen, the firm is enabling bank and cash pickup payouts where remittances represent over 38 percent of its total GDP, ranking among the top three most remittance-dependent nations globally.
As for Syria, the firm is introducing payouts to cash pickup locations, providing reliable financial access amid broader efforts to rebuild the local banking system.
“Launching new payout capabilities across the Middle East unlocks significant value for our Members and their end-users,
“These markets are deeply committed to digital innovation and financial inclusion. Thunes is proud to provide the infrastructure that empowers businesses and individuals to participate seamlessly in international commerce and the broader global economy,” said Chloé Mayenobe, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Thunes.
With this expansion, Thunes said it reinforces its position as a leading provider of global money movement.
The solutions leverage Thunes’ in-house SmartX Treasury System for AI-driven forecasting and real-time liquidity management, and its Fortress Compliance Platform, which benefits from over 50 licenses worldwide, ensuring that every payment is executed with the highest levels of security, compliance and operational efficiency, said the statement.
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