Thunes and Ontop Transform Global Freelance and Remote Workforce Payments with Real-Time Payouts

Thunes, the Smart Superhighway to move money around the world, has announced a new collaboration with Ontop, the all-in-one global payroll and financial platform helping companies hire, pay, and empower remote talent across over 150 countries, headquartered in the US.

Through this collaboration, Ontop is supercharging its Financial Services offering by providing freelancers and remote workers with real-time access to earnings, no matter where they live. By leveraging Thunes’ Direct Global Network, Ontop users can now receive instant local currency payouts to bank accounts in markets like Costa Rica, India, the Philippines, South Africa, Vietnam, and the UK,  eliminating the delays and friction of traditional cross-border payments. The collaboration comes on the back of Thunes acquiring Money Transmitter Licenses in 50 U.S. states, announced in June this year.

The ability to deliver funds in real time supports Ontop in accelerating the growth of its business customers in the US and Latin America, and improving the lives of freelancers and remote workers, particularly in emerging markets and where fast, secure, and accessible cross-border payments are essential for everyday life.

The collaboration comes at a time when freelance work is surging and global hiring is more common than ever. The World Bank estimates the number of self-employed workers globally to be 1.57 billion people, approximately 47 percent of the global workforce. The global freelance platform market is expected to grow by more than 16% each year from 2024 to 2030.

Thomas McAllister, Chief Financial Services Officer of Ontop, said: “Fast, reliable, and inclusive financial access is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s foundational to the future of global work. Partnering with Thunes allows us to deliver exactly that: real-time payouts, in local currency, to the people building the global economy. It’s a game-changer for workers and a competitive advantage for businesses.”

Kyle Rosen, Head of Americas at Thunes, commented: “Thunes’ capability to deliver instant, cost-effective cross-border payments at scale makes our platform an ideal solution for managing freelance and remote worker payouts. Through our partnership with Ontop, we’re helping businesses to offer remote talent a smoother, real-time payment experience across international borders. More significantly, we’re working together to promote social mobility by enabling skilled freelancers in emerging markets to access and thrive in the global economy.”