World Council of Credit Unions and Visa Launch Strategic Collaboration to Tackle Cross-Border Payment Challenges
Working group of credit union leaders tasked with improving international payment systems
July 14, 2025
MADISON, Wis.—World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) has launched a strategic collaboration with Visa aimed at addressing one of the most persistent barriers to financial inclusion: the high cost, access and complexity of cross-border payments and remittances.
Announced at the 2025 World Credit Union Conference in Stockholm, Sweden, the initiative will bring together credit union leaders from across the Americas to identify and explore scalable solutions that ensure reliable cross-border money movement with the security, ease of use and clear guidance that credit union members seek.
“Cross-border payments remain costly, complex and often out of reach for many communities served by credit unions,” said Thomas Belekevich, WOCCU Director of Member Services. “This collaboration with Visa represents a critical step forward in our mission to create inclusive and efficient financial ecosystems globally. Together, we’re building solutions rooted in cooperation, innovation and impact.”
The initiative will convene a global working group of credit union leaders and innovators to co-create practical solutions through WOCCU’s Global Cooperative Committees platform. This innovation-driven framework fosters peer learning and public-private collaboration to address systemic challenges in cooperative finance. As a strategic advisor and key knowledge partner, Visa will contribute global expertise to help inform and shape impactful solutions.
“At Visa, we believe that inclusive economies are built on accessible, reliable and secure financial infrastructure,” said Celeste Schwitters, Senior Vice President, Community Accounts and Digital Sales at Visa. “By working alongside WOCCU, we’re not only supporting innovation in cross-border payments—we’re helping credit unions extend their reach, deepen trust with their members and deliver financial services that are truly global in scope.”
This partnership is part of a pilot initiative that reflects WOCCU’s broader strategy to drive sustainable development through public-private collaboration. The work will culminate in a global insights brief and a presentation of key findings at the 2026 World Credit Union Conference in Sydney, Australia.
For more information about the Global Cooperative Committees or WOCCU’s work on financial inclusion and cooperative development, visit www.woccu.org.
World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) is the apex association for credit unions and other global financial cooperatives. World Council promotes the sustainable development of credit unions and other financial cooperatives around the world to empower people through access to high quality and affordable financial services. World Council advocates on behalf of the global credit union system before international organizations and works with national governments to improve legislation and regulation. Its technical assistance programs introduce new tools and technologies to strengthen credit unions' financial performance and increase their outreach.
World Council has implemented 300+ technical assistance programs in 90 countries. Worldwide, 74,634 credit unions in 104 countries serve 411 million people. Learn more about World Council's impact around the world at www.woccu.org.
Organization: World Council of Credit Unions
E-mail: gneumann@woccu.org
Phone: +1 608-395-2048
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