UniBank and Mastercard Launch "Mi Negocio sin Frontera" for Panamanian SMEs

UniBank and Mastercard have launched "Mi Negocio sin Frontera" in Panama to streamline cross-border payments for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). By integrating Mastercard Move, the solution addresses critical liquidity challenges for local firms, offering faster settlement and greater transparency in a region where unpredictable payment cycles frequently disrupt essential working capital.

What was announced

The new solution, "Mi Negocio sin Frontera," is specifically designed to strengthen UniBank’s existing "Mi Negocio" value proposition for the Panamanian SME sector. The platform focuses on simplifying the management of international money movement by reducing the manual processes and operational friction typically associated with traditional bank transfers. It allows businesses to connect bank accounts, cards, and other reception points to facilitate payments across a wide variety of global markets.

Powered by Mastercard Move—Mastercard’s comprehensive portfolio of money movement capabilities—the service enables Panamanian businesses to send funds to more than 50 countries. This network includes key markets across Central America, the United States, Europe, and Asia. Depending on the receiving system in the destination market, funds are made available either the next day or in near real-time, providing a level of predictability that has historically been absent for smaller enterprises.

The launch addresses a significant market gap identified by market research. According to a 2026 study by Mastercard and FXC Intelligence, SMEs account for more than 40% of import payments in Latin America. Despite their volume, these businesses face substantial hurdles; three out of four SMEs surveyed reported that payment unpredictability has a direct negative impact on their working capital. By providing greater visibility into the movement of funds, the UniBank and Mastercard collaboration aims to stabilize these financial flows for Panamanian companies integrated into international trade.

"En UniBank, estamos comprometidos con ofrecer soluciones que simplifiquen la gestión financiera de nuestros clientes y les permitan operar de forma más eficiente en un entorno cada vez más conectado. A través de nuestra colaboración con Mastercard, ofrecemos a las MiPymes una alternativa innovadora que refuerza su capacidad para hacer negocios más allá de nuestras fronteras, respaldada por una red global, mayor visibilidad de los pagos transfronterizos y una experiencia más simple y transparente"

John Rozo, Gerente General de UniBank.

The companies involved

UniBank is a financial institution operating in Panama, focused on providing specialized services to the business and SME sectors. The bank maintains a digital presence through its website at http://www.unibank.az and is led by Gerente General John Rozo. In the Panamanian market, UniBank has positioned itself as a strategic partner for local companies looking to leverage the country’s logistics and financial services platform to expand into international markets.

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, and governments in more than 210 countries and territories. The company is a dominant force in the Latin American fintech ecosystem, where it frequently partners with local banks to deploy its "Mastercard Move" capabilities. In the region, Mastercard’s operations are managed by specialized leadership, including Soledad Rovira, who serves as the Country Manager for Panama and Belize. With nearly 1,000 prior reports in the FF News database, Mastercard remains one of the most active infrastructure providers in the global transition toward real-time and transparent cross-border payment systems.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has extensively tracked Mastercard’s strategic expansion across Latin America and its efforts to empower entrepreneurs through digital infrastructure. Recently, the publication covered how Mastercard Names Sidney Massunaga as Country Manager to Lead Mexico Strategy, highlighting a similar leadership focus on regional growth. The company’s commitment to the SME sector is a global trend, as seen when Bank Audi and Mastercard to Support 10,000 Lebanese Entrepreneurs via neo Business. Additionally, FF News reported on the broader push for digital adoption in emerging markets through the story Mastercard and Banque du Liban Partner to Drive Digital Payment Acceptance in Lebanon.

What this means

This announcement signals an intensifying battle for the loyalty of SMEs in the Latin American corridor. For too long, small businesses have been underserved by correspondent banking networks that are slow, opaque, and expensive. By moving cross-border flows onto the Mastercard Move rails, UniBank is effectively bypassing traditional bottlenecks, putting significant pressure on other regional banks to modernize their own international transfer stacks. The industry is clearly shifting away from "best-effort" settlement toward guaranteed, real-time transparency. As Panama continues to leverage its status as a global logistics hub, the ability for its domestic banks to offer "borderless" financial tools will become a baseline requirement rather than a competitive advantage.