%201.webp)
Mambu and Mastercard have agreed a strategic collaboration on cross-border payments for banks, linking Mastercard Move with Mambu's Intelligent Core.
The tie-up targets financial institutions using Mambu's cloud banking and payments platform that want to add international payment services to their digital banking offerings. It is intended to give banks a pre-built route to Mastercard's cross-border payment network, avoiding a separate project from scratch.
Cross-border payments remain difficult for many banks, particularly those serving small businesses and retail customers seeking clearer pricing, faster settlement and better visibility when sending money abroad. By linking its core banking platform with Mastercard Move, Mambu aims to expand the payment services available to its banking clients after moving further into the sector through its acquisition of Numeral.
For Mambu, the collaboration extends its strategy of offering more than core banking functions to financial institutions that want to build services modularly. Founded in 2011, the company says more than 260 customers in over 65 countries use its platform, including banks, lenders, credit unions, fintechs and retailers.
Mastercard Move is the card network's money movement portfolio for domestic and international transfers. Mastercard says the service can move funds within and across more than 200 countries and territories, supports more than 150 currencies, reaches more than 17 billion endpoints and covers 95% of the world's banked population.
The connection will let banks embed cross-border payments into digital banking journeys rather than sending customers through separate processes. That could matter for lenders and neobanks trying to retain customers who might otherwise turn to specialist money transfer providers for overseas payments.
Payments push
Mambu's recent push into payments followed its acquisition of Numeral, which broadened its offering beyond lending and deposit products. The latest agreement suggests it wants to position itself as a broader banking technology supplier for institutions that need both account infrastructure and payment rails.
The opportunity comes as banks face pressure from corporate treasurers, small businesses and consumers for international transfers that are easier to track and more transparent on fees and exchange rates. Large incumbent banks have often relied on older infrastructure and correspondent banking arrangements, while newer fintechs have won customers with more straightforward user experiences.
Fernando Zandona, Chief Executive Officer of Mambu, said the partnership was intended to reduce the work banks need to do to launch these services.
"Adding cross-border payment capabilities shouldn't require financial institutions to take on years of integration work or rethink their entire tech stack. By integrating Mambu's Intelligent Core with Mastercard Move, we are giving our customers a simpler way to introduce these capabilities, accelerate time to market and continue building on the investments they've already made. That's the value of a composable foundation: it lets the Intelligent Core keep extending what financial institutions already trust, rather than replacing it," Zandona said.
The arrangement also gives Mastercard another route to distribute Mastercard Move through banking software providers, rather than selling only directly to banks and financial institutions. Embedded access through third-party platforms has become an increasingly common strategy for payment networks and infrastructure providers seeking wider adoption.
Bank demand
Demand for international payments has grown as more small companies trade across borders and consumers use digital banking apps for a wider range of financial tasks. Banks have been under pressure to offer payment tools integrated into their own apps and online services, with clearer information on transfer status and delivery.
Pratik Khowala, Global Head of Transfer Solutions at Mastercard, pointed to those market pressures in describing the tie-up.
"Despite advances in digital payments, moving money across borders remains complex and fragmented, with people and businesses expecting greater speed, transparency and certainty. Mastercard Move combines global reach with trusted money movement capabilities to help financial institutions meet those expectations," Khowala said.
The collaboration reflects a broader trend in banking technology, with software platforms, payment networks and specialist providers joining forces to help banks update services without replacing core systems entirely. In cross-border payments, where compliance, currency support and bank connectivity can be difficult to assemble independently, pre-integrated partnerships have become one way to shorten deployment times for lenders and digital banks.
Mambu says its platform supports core banking, deposits, lending, payments and Islamic banking, serving clients ranging from established banks to fintech companies. Mastercard says it operates in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.