PingPong Expands into Iberia via Strategic Partnership with Santander's Getnet

PingPong and Getnet have entered a strategic partnership to integrate their financial infrastructures across Iberia. For fintech professionals, this alliance bridges Asian commerce networks with European banking giants, simplifying cross-border expansion for over 750,000 businesses and signaling a significant shift in how international merchants access the Spanish and Portuguese markets.

What was announced

The collaboration between PingPong, a provider of global payments infrastructure, and Getnet, the AI-payments arm of Santander Group, focuses on expanding financial accessibility within the Iberian Peninsula. The partnership is designed to offer a streamlined, single-solution approach for global businesses that intend to establish or grow their operations in Spain and Portugal.

By aligning their respective technologies, the two companies aim to provide a more robust payment capability in the region. The initiative targets the 750,000-plus businesses currently within PingPong’s global network, many of which are looking to enter what is considered one of Europe’s most valuable commerce markets. The integration allows these international merchants to utilize payment infrastructure they already trust while benefiting from Getnet’s established local presence and regulatory standing.

The move is part of a broader international growth strategy for PingPong, responding to increased customer demand for reliable cross-border corridors. For Getnet, the partnership serves as a milestone in its open-market strategy, which seeks to connect the Iberian market with fast-growing commerce ecosystems in Asia. The technical integration focuses on creating a seamless experience for merchants, reducing the friction typically associated with entering new European territories and managing multi-currency transactions across diverse regulatory environments.

"Iberia is one of Europe's most valuable commerce markets, and the 750,000+ businesses in our network want to operate there on payment infrastructure they already trust. Our move into Iberia is the latest step in an ongoing global expansion, driven by rising customer demand and sustained investment in our international growth."

Aaron Xu at PingPong

The companies involved

PingPong is an intelligent payments infrastructure provider that has built a significant market share by facilitating global growth for e-commerce entities. The company maintains a particularly strong presence across Asia, positioning itself as a primary gateway for merchants in that region to access Western markets. It operates a vast network that supports hundreds of thousands of businesses in navigating the complexities of international trade and cross-border settlements.

Getnet is a leading AI-payments company and a key component of the Santander Group. It operates under the PagoNxt Merchant Solutions brand, which consolidates Santander's merchant acquiring activities. Getnet has established a dominant position in both Europe and Latin America, providing advanced payment processing and merchant services. Its parent, Santander Group, is one of the world's largest financial institutions, and Getnet represents its strategic push into the high-growth fintech and digital payments sector. By leveraging Santander’s massive balance sheet and Getnet’s agile technology stack, the firm provides a bridge between traditional banking stability and modern, AI-driven payment solutions for merchants of all sizes.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has closely followed the expansion of Santander’s digital payment ecosystem. In late 2026, we reported that Getnet Expands Across 30+ European Countries with Single Entry Point Payment Integration, a move that set the stage for the current Iberian focus. We also covered how Nayax and Santander’s Getnet Partner to Transform Unattended Payments Across LatAm and Iberia, highlighting the company's aggressive push into specialized payment niches. Furthermore, the broader group's innovation was noted when Iberdrola, BBVA, and Santander Launch World’s First End-to-End Blockchain Syndicated Loan, and through retail-focused initiatives like when Amazon and Openbank Pay Launch Flexible Financing for Polish Shoppers.

What this means

This partnership moves the needle by effectively "pre-clearing" the path for Asian capital and commerce to enter the Iberian market. By utilizing Getnet’s local dominance, PingPong is bypassing the traditional hurdles of regional banking fragmentation. This puts significant pressure on local Iberian payment processors and smaller merchant acquirers who cannot offer the same direct pipeline to Asian manufacturing and export hubs. It also raises a critical question for the sector: will we see a consolidation of "super-infrastructure" where regional banking giants like Santander stop competing with global fintechs and instead become the essential plumbing that powers them? This alliance suggests that the future of cross-border trade lies in these deep, structural integrations rather than standalone service offerings.