LianLian Global and Cobre Partner to Revolutionize China-Latin America Cross-Border Payments

LianLian Global and Cobre have established a strategic partnership to streamline cross-border business payments between China and Latin America. By integrating their respective local payment infrastructures, the two firms aim to bypass traditional correspondent banking hurdles, addressing a trade corridor that reached approximately $565 billion in 2025 and continues to grow.

What was announced

The collaboration connects LianLian Global’s licensed payout network in China with Cobre’s instant payment infrastructure across Latin America. This setup allows LianLian clients to reach local markets in Latin America more efficiently, while Cobre’s client base gains a compliant, high-speed route for payouts into the Chinese market. The primary objective is to eliminate the friction typically associated with the multiple correspondent banks involved in trans-Pacific trade, which often results in high costs and settlement delays.

According to data from China’s General Administration of Customs, trade between the two regions grew 6.5% year-on-year to reach $565 billion in 2025. To support this volume, the partnership focuses on providing transparent foreign exchange (FX) pricing and end-to-end tracking for both the collection and payout legs of a transaction. By reducing the number of intermediaries, the companies intend to offer businesses a more direct settlement method with shorter turnaround times. The initiative was officially marked during HK Fintech Week, highlighting Hong Kong’s role as a financial gateway between Asia and emerging markets. James Wong, Senior Vice President (Financial Services and Fintech) of InvestHK, noted during the event that the collaboration leverages the city's position to simplify regional business payments.

"Latin America is one of the fastest-growing markets for us, and Cobre has built the local infrastructure needed to serve that market. With this collaboration, we can offer businesses on both sides a faster, more transparent way to make cross-border payments along the China–Latin America corridor."

Bryan Jiang, General Manager of LianLian Global in Hong Kong

The companies involved

LianLian Global operates as the cross-border payment brand of Lianlian DigiTech, a company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The firm has established itself as a significant player in the global licensed payment network, focusing on connecting Chinese enterprises with international markets through a robust regulatory framework. It has previously focused on expanding access to money transfers and social commerce payouts through various global partnerships, positioning itself as a primary gateway for firms entering or exiting the Chinese ecosystem.

Cobre is a Latin American fintech platform specializing in instant business payments. Based in the region, it provides the underlying infrastructure that allows enterprises to manage transaction flows with greater predictability and speed. The company has gained recognition for its innovative approach to local payment rails, positioning itself as a key facilitator for businesses operating within and into Latin America. Both companies occupy critical niches in their respective geographies—LianLian as a bridge to the massive Chinese economy and Cobre as a modern alternative to legacy banking systems in Latin America. Together, they represent a shift toward specialized, regional payment corridors that challenge the dominance of global correspondent banking networks.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has closely followed the expansion of both entities as they build out their global networks. We previously covered how LianLian Global partners with UnionPay International to broaden its reach in cross-border money transfers, as well as its efforts to LianLian Global Partners with PayPal to Revolutionize Cross-Border Payouts for Social Commerce. Cobre’s rise has also been documented, notably when the firm was Cobre Ranked No. 1 in Latin America on Fast Company’s 2026 List of the World’s Most Innovative Companies. Additionally, we reported on Cobre and TerraPay Partner to Provide Businesses Globally with Seamless Cross Border Payments, which similarly aimed to enhance global business payment connectivity.

What this means

This partnership highlights a growing trend where regional fintech leaders are bypassing the traditional SWIFT-based correspondent banking system to create "super-corridors." As trade between China and Latin America scales toward the trillion-dollar mark, the inefficiency of legacy banking becomes a significant tax on growth. By linking two specialized local networks, LianLian and Cobre are putting pressure on traditional global banks that have historically relied on high FX margins and slow settlement times. The success of this model raises questions for the broader sector about whether the future of cross-border trade lies in a single global standard or a web of interconnected regional champions.