Emerging as a response to the historical exclusion of traditional banking, the fintech ecosystem has become the main source of financial inclusion in the region, being also the industry that most attracts VCs.
According to the IDB, this year the fintech ecosystem in Latin America and the Caribbean surpassed 3,000 startups, going from 703 companies in 2017 to 3,069 today, a growth of more than 340% in the last six years.
With such a competitive landscape in the fintech ecosystem, few companies have managed to position themselves as quickly as Yuno. Founded by Juan Pablo Ortega — also a co-founder of Rappi — together with Julián Núñez, Yuno was born as a response to a common challenge for growing Latin American companies: to simplify and optimize payments in a complex and fragmented global landscape.
The idea behind Yuno came from a real need. During Rappi’s growth, Ortega faced firsthand the challenges of managing payments in multiple markets. “Integrating payment providers in each new market is very expensive, complex and time-consuming for internal technical teams,” Ortega explained to Contxto.
This problem is exacerbated in emerging markets, where high rates of fraud and declined transactions are common. Thus, Yuno was conceived to address these obstacles, allowing companies to focus on their core business while Yuno takes care of facilitating their payments.
A comprehensive and adaptive platform
The company offers access to more than 300 payment methods from around the world in a single interface, allowing companies to select and integrate the most relevant options for their markets.
From e-wallets and QR codes to “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) solutions, the platform adapts to the local needs of each region. In addition, tools such as AI-driven intelligent routing and advanced anti-fraud systems ensure more secure and efficient transactions.
This approach not only simplifies international business expansion, but also solves a historical problem: merchants’ dependence on payment providers, who used to have a significant advantage.
Payments orchestration fintech turns that dynamic on its head by offering flexibility and control to businesses, enabling them to continuously assess and optimize their payments ecosystem.
Global expansion and ambition
While Yuno has already established itself as one of the leading platforms of its kind in Latin America, its ambition goes beyond that. The company currently operates in more than 80 countries and has begun to expand into regions such as Asia, Europe and Africa.
This growth has been supported by a recent $25 million Series A funding round, which is in addition to its $10 million seed round in March 2022. Andreessen Horowitz, Tiger Global, DST Global Partners, Kaszek Ventures and Monashees are among the diverse group of leading international investors that have backed the company’s team and product.
According to Ortega, these funds are being used to strengthen product and technology teams, as well as to introduce innovative features such as “Monitors,” a tool that detects and solves payment problems in real time.
For Yuno, the key to success in new markets lies in localization. “Payment options and customer preferences vary drastically from region to region,” says Ortega. Therefore, the company prioritizes the creation of strategic alliances with local regulators, financial institutions and payment processors, ensuring seamless integration and regulatory compliance in each territory.
Yuno’s philosophy is anchored in continuous improvement. Juan Pablo concludes by emphasizing that listening to customers and anticipating their needs has been fundamental to staying ahead of the curve. “I firmly believe that not standing still and not being complacent with what we have already achieved is the key to maintaining our leadership position in global payments orchestration,” he concluded.
