Damisa teams up with dLocal to expand APAC settlement

Damisa has partnered with dLocal to expand cross-border settlement across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. This collaboration connects Damisa's platform to local payment networks in APAC through a single integration, allowing merchants to settle funds directly into local bank accounts. Damisa specializes in business-to-business cross-border payments in emerging markets, and this partnership extends its reach in APAC while reducing the need for customers to manage multiple regional providers. dLocal operates a cross-border payments network that connects merchants to local acquirers and payment methods in emerging markets. The partnership provides the final stage of settlement in APAC through local bank transfers, while Damisa continues to offer fiat and stablecoin-based settlement infrastructure. The model addresses challenges such as slow settlement times, fragmented banking relationships, and operational complexity. Damisa customers can collect, hold, and pay out funds in more than 70 currencies, with the APAC settlement leg handled through dLocal's local rails. The partnership reflects growing competition among payments firms seeking to simplify cross-border transactions for merchants selling into fast-growing markets. APAC has become a priority region for fintech groups involved in international payments as trade flows and digital commerce expand. The companies cited forecasts that the APAC cross-border commerce market will exceed USD $4 trillion by 2028. The partnership will allow merchants to settle in hours rather than days. Damisa says the blockchain layer behind its stablecoin settlement model remains invisible to the end user. dLocal, which is listed on Nasdaq, says its network gives merchants access to more than 1,000 local payment methods, including cards, bank transfers, e-wallets, and mobile money, across emerging markets. Thomas Pinter, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Damisa, stated, "APAC represents one of the most significant opportunities in global B2B payments, and dLocal gives us the local rail access and regulatory footing in the APAC markets where it operates to move quickly and responsibly in the region. This partnership means our customers can reach new markets without any additional integration on their side. That is the kind of seamless expansion we are building Damisa to deliver." Richard Healy, Commercial VP (APAC) at dLocal, highlighted the operational challenges the companies aim to address, noting, "Cross-border settlement in APAC can be complex. Fragmented rails, local compliance requirements, in-country operational demands. That is exactly what our infrastructure is built to absorb. Damisa is building for corridors that have been underserved for too long, and this partnership gives them the foundation to do it at scale." The deal gives dLocal greater exposure to transaction flows from Damisa's business customer base, while giving Damisa a broader regional settlement footprint through a single connection rather than separate country-by-country arrangements. For merchants, the immediate effect is access to local bank settlement across key APAC markets through the same system they already use. Damisa is regulated in the European Union as a virtual asset service provider and is pursuing additional licenses. The latest agreement is designed to support businesses moving money across Asia-Pacific through local settlement infrastructure with a single fee structure and real-time transaction tracking.

(Source：Cfotech Asia)