Fintech PR
Nium Expands Operations in Latin America, Accelerating Global Real-time Payments in the Region
Focus on the region includes new customers, license applications and strategic partnerships
SÃO PAULO, Aug. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Nium, the global leader in real-time cross-border payments, is strengthening its presence in Latin America by applying for essential licenses, joining key fintech associations, expanding its employee presence, and signing new customers. This continued expansion is a step towards Nium’s commitment to revolutionizing the global payments landscape in this strategic region.
This month Nium applied for a Payment Institution License in Brazil, which will enable the company to provide payment services to clients including managing funds locally in BRL and real-time payments through Pix. Additionally, Nium is seeking FX authorization in Brazil to enhance its foreign exchange transaction capabilities. These licenses will elevate clients’ trust in Nium’s industry-leading risk and compliance processes, ensuring secure and efficient transactions.
“Latin America has established itself as a frontrunner in numerous cross-border use cases, particularly in global marketplaces where its e-commerce economy thrives in supplier corridors with Asia and Europe,” said Prajit Nanu, Founder and CEO of Nium. “Recognizing this potential, we have been strategically investing in Latin America for years, securing major clients and expanding our operations. This ongoing growth empowers us to further bolster the region’s vibrant and dynamic landscape.”
Nium continues to expand its customer and partner footprint in Latin America. The company recently announced a partnership with BS2, a digital bank in Brazil specializing in fintech solutions for businesses. BS2 leverages Nium’s Global FX product to reduce FX costs and enable real-time payouts between Brazil and key trading corridors like China and the UAE. BS2 also joined Nium’s network of partner banks, acting as Nium´s Brazilian Real (BRL) Correspondent Bank and assisting real-time payment settlement for cross-border Pix transfers.
Nium has been present in the region dating back to 2017. Recent customer wins, include Ouribank, Treviso, OZ Cambio, and Frente. Nium and Ebury, a leading fintech company specializing in SME transactions, also expanded their partnership to launch a groundbreaking global remittance service in Brazil. This collaboration allows businesses to send and receive fast, reliable, and affordable cross-border payments to and from Brazil.
In addition, Nium has joined ABRACAM (Associação Brasileira de Câmbio – Brazilian Exchange Association), an association representing institutions authorized by the Central Bank of Brazil (BCB) to conduct foreign exchange operations. This membership was strategically chosen as part of Nium’s commitment to be part of and contribute to the Brazilian financial and cross-border market. This membership has numerous benefits, including regulatory advocacy, knowledge sharing, and enhanced market credibility. Nium now has access to industry insights, exclusive resources, and collaboration opportunities with key stakeholders, with the ability to influence policies and foster a supportive ecosystem for banking in Brazil.
“We’ve made significant strides this year in expanding our presence in LATAM,” said Christina Hutchinson, VP of Business Development LATAM at Nium. “Nium is rapidly building and scaling local payout rails across the entire region to help better serve our target verticals, which are primarily banks, FIs, and platforms. We’re also working to bring our travel offering and card issuance to the region, once our new licences are in place. Brazil specifically has the potential to be a global leader in digital payment innovation and our advancements in cross-border payment solutions are creating meaningful impacts on millions of lives worldwide.”
Nium plans to grow its physical presence in the region, hiring strategic roles in business development and partnerships.
The moves made in the region support significant growth anticipated in Latin America. According to a report by McKinsey & Company issued in late 2023, both commercial and consumer-based cross-border payment transactions in Latin America grew by double-digit figures between 2021 and 2022. In 2020, the Central Bank of Brazil launched Pix, a real-time payment system that has rapidly become a key model in the region. Pix offers instant, account-to-account payments, is available 24/7 and has been widely adopted, with around ~800 direct and indirect participants. According to the Central Bank of Brazil, in the first six months of 2024, an astounding R$11.8 trillion in transactions were processed, a 60% increase compared to the same period in 2023. July 5th, 2024 was the network’s highest transaction day on record with 224 million transactions processed. Nium provides direct global connections into Pix as part of its extensive global payments infrastructure.
Nium’s report, “Navigating B2B Cross-Border Payments in Latin America,” dives deeper into the opportunities in the region.
About Nium
Nium, the global leader in real-time, cross-border payments, was founded on the mission to deliver the global payments infrastructure of tomorrow, today. With the onset of the global economy, its payments infrastructure is shaping how banks, fintechs, and businesses everywhere collect, convert, and disburse funds instantly across borders. Its payout network supports 100 currencies and spans 220+ markets, 100 of which in real-time. Funds can be disbursed to accounts, wallets, and cards and collected locally in 40 markets. Nium’s growing card issuance business is already available in 34 countries. Nium holds regulatory licenses and authorisations in more than 40 countries, enabling seamless onboarding, rapid integration, and compliance – independent of geography. The company is co-headquartered in San Francisco and Singapore.
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Fintech PR
WSPN Appoints Former EY Global Chief Innovation Officer Jeff Wong as Independent Director
SINGAPORE, Dec. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Worldwide Stablecoin Payment Network (WSPN), a leading stablecoin infrastructure company, announces the appointment of Jeff Wong as Independent Director. Mr. Wong brings over 25 years of experience in technology innovation and enterprise transformation to WSPN. He most recently served as EY’s Global Chief Innovation Officer from 2015 to 2024, where he spearheaded the firm’s global innovation initiatives and established EY’s advanced technology labs focusing on Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Quantum Computing, and Web3.
Prior to EY, Mr. Wong held leadership roles at eBay and JPMorgan Partners. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Forbes Technology Council, and the founding Chair of Asia Society’s Technology and Innovation Council, helping drive the innovation and transformation agenda. He was also a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Innovation Ecosystems. He has previously served on the Oxford Foundry Board at Oxford University and the Advisory Board for AI4All. Mr. Wong is a recipient of the Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business award and an honoree of the A100 List by Gold House, recognizing individuals with Asian Pacific heritage who have made a significant impact on American culture and society.
“Joining WSPN at this pivotal moment in the stablecoin industry is incredibly exciting,” said Mr. Wong. “I look forward to contributing my experience in emerging technologies and enterprise transformation to help WSPN build the next generation of digital payment infrastructure.”
“Jeff’s appointment represents a significant strategic addition to WSPN,” said Raymond Yuan, Founder and CEO of WSPN. “His deep expertise in innovation management, enterprise transformation, and emerging technologies, combined with his leadership experience at global institutions, will be invaluable as we accelerate our market expansion and global development.”
About WSPN
WSPN is a leading provider of next-generation stablecoin infrastructure, committed to building a more secure, efficient, and transparent payment solution for the global economy. Their flagship product, WUSD stablecoin, is pegged 1:1 to the U.S. Dollar and aims to optimize secure digital payments for Web3 users. WSPN’s Stablecoin 2.0 approach prioritizes user-centricity, community governance, and accessibility, paving the way for widespread stablecoin adoption.
Learn more: www.wspn.io | X | LinkedIn
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Refining Capacity of the Base Surpasses 50 Million Tons per Year
NINGBO, China, Dec. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation‘s (HKG: 0386, “Sinopec”) recently announced the mechanical completion of the second-phase expansion and advanced materials project at its Zhenhai Refinery. This milestone sets new benchmarks for innovation, smart manufacturing, and energy efficiency in large-scale projects. The refinery’s capacity has now been upgraded to 40 million tons per year, contributing to the Zhejiang Ningbo Petrochemical Industrial Base surpassing a total refining capacity of 50 million tons annually. The achievement solidifies its position as China’s largest, most advanced, and globally competitive petrochemical industrial base.
Located in the Yangtze River Delta, a key downstream product consumption hub, the Zhejiang Ningbo Petrochemical Industrial Base plays a vital role in Sinopec’s value chain. The second-phase expansion and advanced materials project, with a total investment of CNY 41.6 billion, incorporates 18 production units, including atmospheric distillation, catalytic cracking, polypropylene, and propane dehydrogenation units. By emphasizing chemical-focused processes, the project creates multiple high-value-added supply chains.
The facility’s expanded production capacity supports the development of high-end polyolefins, advanced materials, and specialty chemicals. It is expected to provide approximately 8 million tons of petrochemical products annually, significantly boosting the overall capacity of supply chains for industries such as automotive, home appliances, and textiles in the region. This expansion is forecast to generate trillions of yuan in upstream and downstream industrial value.
The project achieved remarkable progress in technological innovation and sustainability. Highlights include:
- Localization of 10 core technologies, including the world’s highest-load vertical labyrinth compressor.
- Extensive deployment of smart technologies, enabling simultaneous delivery of digital and physical factories.
- Integration of a fully localized industrial operating system and a self-developed industrial internet platform to enhance decision-making and management.
- Implementation of comprehensive energy-saving measures, achieving an overall reduction in energy consumption of 11.7%.
- Safety and quality were paramount during construction, with over 90 million consecutive safe man-hours recorded and a 100% quality pass rate for all units, setting a new industry benchmark.
Zhenhai Refinery, Sinopec’s largest integrated refining and chemical enterprise, boasts an ethylene production capacity of 2.2 million tons per year. It is also the only enterprise in China consistently ranked in the top performance group of the Solomon Global Ethylene Performance Evaluation.
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Fintech PR
2025 Will See Increased QR Code Payments but Payment Card IC ASPs Will Not Return to Pre-Covid Levels
ABI Research’s 5th annual Trend Report identifies the key Digital Payment Technologies trend that will come to fruition —and the 1 that won’t—in 2025
NEW YORK, Dec. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — As 2025 kicks off, predictions abound on the technology innovations expected in the year ahead. In its new whitepaper, 101 Technology Trends That Will—and Won’t—Shape 2025, analysts from global technology intelligence firm ABI Research. ABI Research analysts identify 54 trends that will shape the technology market and 47 others that, although attracting vast amounts of speculation and commentary, are less likely to move the needle over the next twelve months. In the Digital Payment Technologies space, 2025 will see increased QR code payment acceptance but little growth for payment card IC ASPs.
“2024 has been marked by challenges, from global conflicts and inflationary pressures to political uncertainty. These factors have strained enterprise and consumer spending, leading to market inertia, short-term technology investments, sidelined capital, and the exposure of vulnerable suppliers,” says Stuart Carlaw, Chief Research Officer at ABI Research. “From a technology perspective, many industries and end markets are in that awkward stage of technology adoption where they are formulating implementation strategies, assessing solutions and partners, and trying to see if they have the resources needed to roll out solutions at scale. This is a particularly sensitive time, which tends to suggest 2025 will have tech implementers and end users on the brink of a period of a massive technology shift as they work through these issues.”
What Will Happen in 2025:
QR code payment acceptance will continue to increase with use cases expanding
Although QR code payment acceptance is prevalent in countries such as China and growing in emerging digital payment markets, including in India, use cases and potential growth areas are not limited to these countries. Significant and continued investments by vendors, including PayPal, Stripe, and SumUp, are setting the foundation for increased adoption in other mature and established economies with use cases expanding. Although QR codes are already being used by many Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and pop-up retail businesses, 2025 will mark the year when the technology begins to shift from one niche to partial mainstream.
What Won’t Happen in 2025:
Payment card IC ASPs will not return to pre-COVID-19 levels
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, chipset pricing has been on a continual rise, driven by increased pricing in myriad manufacturing areas, including energy, raw material, transit pricing, and inflation, driving up wages. The chip shortage further compounded this, and according to ABI Research, the Average Selling Price (ASP) for a payment card Integrated Circuit (IC) increased by approximately +30% between 2020 and 2023. However, despite pricing pressures returning, the cost of payment ICs is some years away from matching pre-COVID-19 levels. Although 2025 will mark another year of pricing deprecation, it will not be until around 2028 when pricing is expected to drop to levels similar to those achieved in 2019 steadily.
For more trends that will and won’t happen in 2025, download the whitepaper, 101 Technology Trends That Will—and Won’t—Shape 2025.
About ABI Research
ABI Research is a global technology intelligence firm uniquely positioned at the intersection of technology solution providers and end-market companies. We serve as the bridge that seamlessly connects these two segments by providing exclusive research and expert guidance to drive successful technology implementations and deliver strategies proven to attract and retain customers.
ABI Research是一家全球性的技术情报公司，拥有得天独厚的优势，充当终端市场公司和技术解决方案提供商之间的桥梁，通过提供独家研究和专业性指导，推动成功的技术实施和提供经证明可吸引和留住客户的战略，无缝连接这两大主体。
For more information about ABI Research’s services, contact us at +1.516.624.2500 in the Americas, +44.203.326.0140 in Europe, +65.6592.0290 in Asia-Pacific, or visit www.abiresearch.com.
Contact Info:
Global
Deborah Petrara
Tel: +1.516.624.2558
[email protected]
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/2025-will-see-increased-qr-code-payments-but-payment-card-ic-asps-will-not-return-to-pre-covid-levels-302338531.html
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