Sends Partners with UnionPay International to Scale Global Card Issuing and Acquiring

UK-based fintech Sends has partnered with UnionPay International to integrate global card issuing and acquiring capabilities into its financial infrastructure. For fintech professionals, this move signals a significant bridge between Western EMI services and Asian payment networks, enabling seamless cross-border transactions for both individual cardholders and merchants within the Sends ecosystem.

What was announced

The cooperation between Sends and UnionPay International (UPI) is designed to merge UPI’s global payment network with the financial infrastructure of the UK-based fintech. This partnership creates a two-sided payment proposition that addresses both the consumer and merchant sides of the transaction. On the issuing side, Sends plans to develop UnionPay card products, which will allow its customers to access the UnionPay global acceptance network for international payments.

Simultaneously, the two companies are collaborating on UnionPay acquiring. This functionality will enable merchants within the Sends ecosystem to accept payments made with UnionPay cards, opening up new avenues for businesses to engage with international customers, particularly those with ties to Asian markets. By integrating these capabilities, Sends aims to simplify the experience of global payments while maintaining a broad range of payment methods through a single infrastructure.

This development is part of a strategy at Sends to build an interconnected financial ecosystem for businesses and individuals. Beyond card services, the platform currently provides personal and business accounts, foreign exchange services, and international transfers. The company has also recently expanded its mobile offering by integrating eSIM travel data directly into the Sends app. As an FCA-authorised Electronic Money Institution (EMI), Sends operates under the trade name SMARTFLOW PAYMENTS LIMITED and focuses on secure, compliance-driven payment solutions for a global audience.

"Payments are becoming increasingly global, while customers and businesses expect the experience itself to remain simple. Our cooperation with UnionPay International is an important step in building infrastructure that connects these two realities. By developing both UnionPay issuing and acquiring capabilities, we are expanding what Sends can offer on both sides of a transaction — giving our customers greater payment flexibility while helping merchants reach a broader international audience."

Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends.

The companies involved

Sends is a financial services provider based in the United Kingdom, operating as an FCA-authorised Electronic Money Institution. Registered as SMARTFLOW PAYMENTS LIMITED in England and Wales, the company positions itself as a provider of secure payment solutions for both individual and corporate clients. Its service suite is built around e-wallet services, electronic money issuance, and merchant acquiring. The firm has recently increased its industry engagement across key markets, including the UK and the Middle East, focusing on the evolution of digital wallets and real-time cross-border payment infrastructure.

UnionPay International is a subsidiary of UnionPay focused on the growth and support of UnionPay’s global business outside of mainland China. By building an extensive global payment network, the company provides cross-border payment services to a massive cardholder base. In the current market, UPI is a critical player for Western fintechs looking to capture spend from Asian consumers and for businesses seeking to expand their footprint into the Eastern hemisphere through established payment rails. The company provides high-quality, cost-effective, and secure cross-border payment services to its partners worldwide.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has previously tracked the expansion of UnionPay International as it strengthens its presence in diverse global markets. In the Middle East, the company’s efforts were highlighted when VaultsPay Partners with UnionPay International to Boost UAE Merchant Acceptance, a move that mirrored the current Sends announcement by focusing on merchant accessibility and regional growth.

Furthermore, the card scheme’s reach into emerging markets was documented in the report UnionPay and Standard Bank Expand E-Commerce Access Across Nine African Markets. This prior coverage underscores a consistent pattern of UPI seeking out strategic local partners to bridge the gap between regional financial ecosystems and its global network, particularly in the e-commerce and merchant acquiring sectors.

What this means

This partnership highlights the intensifying competition among UK EMIs to provide truly "borderless" financial services. By securing both issuing and acquiring rights with UnionPay, Sends is moving beyond the standard European-centric payment model. This puts pressure on traditional regional players who rely solely on Visa and Mastercard rails, as the ability to tap into the Asian consumer market becomes a necessity for merchants dealing with international trade. The success of such integrations often hinges on the depth of the compliance infrastructure. The industry will likely observe whether this dual-sided approach can effectively reduce the friction typically associated with East-West capital flows without falling foul of increasingly stringent cross-border regulatory scrutiny.