Mastercard, a global leader in payments technology and innovation, has launched Cloud Edge, a new cloud-based connectivity solution aimed at accelerating onboarding for banks and FinTechs across Asia Pacific.
The solution is being offered in collaboration with leading cloud providers, including Amazon Web Services (AWS).
The move comes as FinTechs in Asia Pacific experience unprecedented growth, projected to outpace the overall banking industry by nearly threefold through 2028.
With cloud computing playing a crucial role, Mastercard aims to support this rapid expansion by enabling faster, more secure and cost-effective access to its network.
Mastercard offers a suite of digital payment solutions and services that help consumers, businesses and governments move money securely and efficiently. Known for its global footprint and focus on innovation, Mastercard provides the infrastructure and expertise to facilitate financial inclusion and digital transformation.
Cloud Edge is designed to allow banks, issuers, acquirers, payment processors and network partners to connect to Mastercard’s network up to four times faster. It enables rapid deployment of payment tools by leveraging cloud-native infrastructure, removing the reliance on physical IT infrastructure and improving regulatory compliance with local data handling laws.
The product delivers seamless private connectivity and low-latency access to Mastercard’s network. It supports modern payment technologies, such as ISO 20022-based Transaction APIs, and reduces capital expenditures by eliminating the need for on-premises data centres. Additionally, Cloud Edge ensures scalability and high availability during demand surges like holidays or large-scale sales events.
Episode Six, an enterprise-grade infrastructure provider, is already deploying Cloud Edge to help banks and FinTechs across Asia Pacific launch advanced digital payment services. The collaboration highlights the platform’s flexibility and security for partners focused on innovation.
Cloud Edge is currently available in multiple global markets, including India, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, Thailand, the US, Canada, and various regions across Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Africa.
Mastercard executive vice president, Core Payments, Asia Pacific, Sandeep Malhotra said, “With Cloud Edge, Mastercard brings pioneering innovations in cloud and payments to Asia Pacific banks, financial institutions, and cloud-native organizations – meeting forward-thinking customers where they want to be. Cloud Edge reinforces Mastercard’s commitment to resiliency, redundancy and security while offering customers cost efficiency as well as greater choice, speed and flexibility. For instance, with cloud computing, fintechs can serve customers easily during demand spikes like national holidays or sales events without needing more physical infrastructure.”
Episode Six co-founder and CEO John Mitchell said, “All of Episode Six’s bank-grade technology was created specifically for the cloud, and as such, we understand how important infrastructure is for partners to scale with greater security now and in the future. We are excited to collaborate with Mastercard on Cloud Edge so that we can reduce time to market for their clients, while ensuring security, backup and protection by encrypting and storing data in the cloud.”
AWS managing director, Financial Services, Scott Mullins said, “The AWS Regions across Asia Pacific offer Mastercard extensive connectivity and secure cloud services. Together with Mastercard’s global footprint, this provides organizations in the region with payment network access at low latency, ensuring seamless operations as well as compliance with regional data residency regulations.”
Source: https://fintech.global/
