Banks Accelerate Cross-Border Push: Nubank, HSBC, Revolut Unveil New LatAm–Gulf Plays

LatAm Retail Banking Heats Up

On November 14, 2025, Nubank said it is rolling out a full-featured digital savings product in Colombia following supervisory clearance, targeting several million prospects over the next 12 months and earmarking a multi-hundred-million-dollar investment to scale onboarding and customer support. The Brazil-based challenger also reported continued traction in Mexico, where Nu México’s deposit growth and card adoption underpin its expansion thesis, according to recent disclosures. Industry observers note that Nubank’s LatAm footprint is becoming a bellwether for neobank scale in emerging markets, as recent analyst coverage highlights.

On November 19, 2025, Banco Santander emphasized cross-border SME trade between Mexico and the U.S., strengthening cash management and supply-chain finance offerings tied to northbound manufacturing flows. For more on related gaming developments. The move complements Santander’s broader LatAm strategy and comes amid rising demand for multi-currency treasury solutions, according to market commentators.

Gulf Banks Court Global Flows

On November 18, 2025, HSBC unveiled a lending and trade finance commitment focused on GCC SMEs, positioning the bank to capture fast-growing intra-Gulf and Asia-bound corridors. HSBC’s regional leadership cited demand for dollar liquidity and structured trade guarantees as drivers for the initiative, which pairs cross-border cash pooling with integrated FX risk tools, as covered by regional business press.

Separately, on November 10, 2025, Standard Chartered said it received in-principle support to expand digital custody and transaction services for institutional clients in the UAE, aligning with the country’s push to attract foreign financial institutions. The bank’s Gulf buildout intersects with Hong Kong and Singapore strategies, tying together multi-jurisdiction digital infrastructure and compliance, per official notices and industry reporting.

UK and U.S. Challengers Press New Markets

On November 12, 2025, Revolut moved to widen access in Mexico, advancing from pilot to nationwide rollout for core accounts, cards, and money transfer capabilities. For more on related ai developments. Executives framed the expansion around remittance-linked features and local acceptance, aiming to convert long waitlists into active accounts while maintaining its global app experience, according to recent coverage.

At the same time, JPMorgan Chase flagged additional cross-border payments and cash management enhancements for multinational clients in Europe and the Nordics, orienting product updates around ISO 20022 and instant rails interoperability. The updates fold into the bank’s treasury services stack, bolstering corporate liquidity management across regions, as noted in bank filings and analyst notes.

For more on related Banking developments.

Regulatory Tailwinds and Compliance Playbooks

Regulators across Latin America and the Gulf emphasized streamlined onboarding and data localization safeguards this month, providing clearer pathways for foreign and digital-first banks to scale. Enhanced guidance on open banking interfaces, consumer disclosures, and cloud sovereignty requirements emerged in tandem, shaping how entrants configure tech stacks and third-party risk frameworks, industry reports show.

These moves put a premium on modular cores and real-time compliance tooling from vendors such as Temenos and Mambu, which support rapid market activation while meeting local audit and resiliency standards. For more on related genetics developments. The alignment of product roadmaps with supervisory expectations continues to determine speed-to-market and operating costs for cross-border launches, according to recent research.

This builds on broader Banking trends.

What’s Next: Funding, Partnerships, and Product Localizations

Banks are prioritizing partnerships with domestic processors, eKYC providers, and cloud regions to cut time-to-licensing and reduce compliance overhead. Executives expect renewed funding for embedded finance features—especially remittance-linked accounts, FX hedging for SMEs, and instant payroll for gig workers—to support multi-country product consistency in late Q4.

With LatAm and Gulf corridors moving fastest, expect a continued focus on unit economics: interchange, FX spreads, and cost of funds. The near-term barometer will be deposit stickiness and SME loan performance, which investors and regulators will track closely through year-end according to analysts.