Absa and Thunes unveil Absa Global Pay, a next-generation solution for fast, affordable global remittances

The alliance brings real–time global money transfers, affordable and transparent pricing and a seamless mobile–first experience

JOHANNESBURG, March 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Absa Group, one of Africa's largest diversified financial services providers, has partnered with Thunes, the Smart Superhighway to move money around the world, to launch a new digital-first remittance solution, Absa Global Pay, that makes sending money across borders faster, simpler and more affordable for millions of customers across Africa.

With international remittances playing an increasingly critical role in supporting families, education, healthcare and small businesses, customers are demanding solutions that are intuitive, transparent and cost-effective. The Absa–Thunes collaboration responds directly to this need by combining Absa's trusted Pan African banking footprint with Thunes' agile Direct Global Network to deliver an end–to–end, real–time money movement experience.

A simpler, faster, more intuitive customer experience

Absa Global Pay allows Absa customers to send funds directly from the Absa Banking App or Connected Banking (Absa Online) with instant settlement to 18 countries with 6 countries forming part of the first release (UK, Kenya, India, Malawi, Pakistan and Zimbabwe). Customers can choose from multiple payout methods — bank accounts, mobile wallets or approved cash pick–up points — with real–time notifications and full transaction visibility for added confidence and control.

Affordability and transparency at the core

By leveraging Thunes' trusted Direct Global Network and Absa's scale across key African markets, the solution offers lower fees, clear pricing, competitive FX rates, and greater value, ensuring that more of each transaction reaches the families and businesses that depend on remittances as a financial lifeline.

Nick Nkosi, Managing Executive for Transactional and Deposits at Absa Personal and Private Banking, said:

"At Absa, we are committed to building financial services that are innovative, intuitive and deeply connected to the everyday needs of our customers. Remittances remain essential for keeping families supported across borders, and our research shows significant opportunity to unlock more value in this space. Together with Thunes, we are delivering a solution that is simpler, faster and more affordable — empowering customers with choice, transparency and meaningful value."

Simon Nelson, Chief Commercial Officer at Thunes, said:

"We are proud to partner with Absa, one of Africa's most trusted financial institutions, to expand access to modern, low–cost cross–border payments. By combining Absa's deep local insights with Thunes' expansive Direct Global Network, we are making international money movement seamless and accessible for anyone, anywhere. This launch is an important milestone in our mission to support the growth of the continent by powering intra-Africa money movement and bring inclusive financial connectivity to communities across the world."

A track record of multiple payment innovations at Absa

This product launch builds on a growing track record of several recent Absa payment innovations aimed at simplifying how customers interact with their money — from mobile-first solutions such as Absa Pay for online payments – a secure online platform allowing Absa customers to pay for their ecommerce purchases on a merchant site without sharing banking login details and most recently the launch of Bill payments in partnership with EasyPay and Pay@.

For more information about Thunes, visit: https://www.thunes.com/
For further information about Absa Group Limited, visit www.absa.africa