Cross-Border Account-to-Account Payments in Asia Pacific: Innovation, Partnerships, and Real-Time Solutions

11/05/2025

Asia Pacific is at the forefront of global payment innovation. As economies become more interconnected and digital-first, demand for fast, secure, and transparent cross-border account-to-account (A2A) payments is accelerating.

For consumers, A2A transfers power remittances that support families across borders. For businesses, they ensure liquidity, supplier payments, and global trade. For banks and fintechs, enabling real-time international transfers is a strategic imperative. This transformation is being driven by rapid digital banking adoption, booming remittance flows, and the rise of strategic partnerships that extend reach and innovation across diverse markets.

The Scale and Growth of Cross-Border Payments in APAC

Cross-border payments dominate fintech conversations in APAC. At Money20/20 Asia, international money movement emerged as a central theme, underscoring its strategic role in shaping the region’s financial future.

Remittances highlight APAC’s global significance. India, China, and the Philippines rank among the world’s largest recipients of inflows:

India received over $111 billion in 2022, the highest worldwide.^1,2
The Philippines saw $38 billion in inflows, sustaining household consumption and driving financial inclusion.^1,2

These transfers are more than transactions—they are lifelines. For millions of households, remittances fund essentials like education, food, and healthcare, making affordable, reliable, real-time transfers essential to the region’s economic health.

Digital banking and Consumer Engagement

APAC stands out for its high digital banking adoption and engagement.

In Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand, new-to-bank customers are among the world’s most active digital banking users, citing high satisfaction with mobile and online platforms.³
In China and Taiwan, banks are investing to increase digital channel awareness and usage, building on already strong engagement levels.
Across emerging markets like Indonesia and South Korea, mobile wallets and payment apps—driven by partnerships between banks, telcos, and fintechs—are making cross-border remittances and payments more accessible than ever.

This digital-first culture is reshaping expectations. Consumers now demand instant availability of funds, low fees, and complete transparency across every payment corridor, whether domestic or international.

Partnerships and Ecosystem Expansion

In APAC, collaboration is not optional—it is the engine of cross-border innovation.

Global Payments Localized
Platforms like Stripe are embedding themselves in APAC ecosystems, scaling aggressively in markets like South Korea and Indonesia. By offering modular, interoperable services that integrate with local payment methods and processors, Stripe demonstrates how global players can achieve local relevance.
Remittance Giants Reinvented
Traditional providers such as Western Union are partnering with local brands and telcos to improve digital user experiences and expand reach. These collaborations enable faster and more reliable transfers while navigating APAC’s fragmented regulatory and infrastructure landscape.⁴
Banks Driving Loyalty and Inclusion
Banks across APAC are using partnerships with airlines, retailers, and e-commerce platforms to expand loyalty programs and deliver hyper-personalized digital rewards. These initiatives increase consumer engagement, encourage digital adoption, and extend financial services to underbanked populations.⁴

The common thread: ecosystem partnerships are accelerating adoption, broadening corridor coverage, and enabling seamless customer experiences.

Challenges and Customer Priorities

Despite rapid progress, the APAC cross-border payments market still grapples with persistent barriers:

Fragmented Infrastructure: Lack of standardization and automated processes slows the rollout of true real-time A2A payments.
Risk Management: Banks must balance strong AML and fraud prevention with reducing false positives and ensuring smooth onboarding of external accounts.
Regulatory Complexity: Diverse legal requirements across APAC create compliance challenges and slow interoperability.
Customer Demands: Consumers prioritize speed, reliability, transparency, and affordability. They want visibility into “where their money is” at all times, whether sending remittances, paying overseas tuition, or funding business obligations.

Meeting those requirements is no small task. For financial institutions, success means delivering end-to-end solutions that combine efficiency, compliance, and seamless user experience

Visa Direct: Enabling Real-Time Cross-Border A2A Transfers

Visa Direct is helping financial institutions across APAC meet this challenge by providing the infrastructure for fast, secure, and real-time⁵ cross-border A2A transfers.

With advanced Account Funding Transaction (AFT) support, Visa Direct helps address the region’s most pressing needs:

Fast Settlement: Real-time⁵ delivery to eligible accounts, 24/7—even on weekends and holidays.
Embedded Security: AML, fraud mitigation, and sanctions screening integrated into every transaction.⁶
Simplified Integration: A single API suite reduces operational complexity and allows institutions to onboard and scale quickly across fragmented markets.
Global Reach with Local Relevance: Coverage across 195+ countries and 150 currencies, with the flexibility to connect through local payment processors for interoperability.
Enhanced Reporting: Data-rich reporting and advanced risk management tools provide greater transparency and control.

By uniting speed, compliance, and reach, Visa Direct empowers banks and fintechs to deliver the trusted, on-demand payments experience that APAC consumers and businesses now expect.

Asia Pacific is defining the future of cross-border account-to-account payments. With digital adoption surging, partnerships multiplying, and remittance flows among the largest in the world, the region represents both a vast challenge and an unprecedented opportunity for financial institutions.

Consumers are demanding instant, low-cost, and transparent services. Businesses require fast, reliable settlement to manage liquidity and growth. Regulators are pushing for interoperability to reduce friction. Meeting these demands will require collaboration, investment, and cutting-edge solutions.

Visa Direct is at the heart of this transformation. Its real-time⁵ cross-border AFT capabilities equip banks and fintechs with the tools they need to capture growth, deepen customer relationships, and set new standards for efficiency and trust.