Get the latest announcements from MEF Members across the mobile ecosystem globally in this weekly review of member news…
Canva partners with Boku to roll out new local payment methods for customers across global regions
Boku and Canva have formed a strategic partnership to expand Canva’s reach in Asia and later Europe by integrating localized payment solutions. The collaboration aims to make Canva’s subscription-based design tools more accessible in regions with low traditional card usage. Leveraging Boku’s network of Localized Payment Methods and regional expertise, the initiative has already seen early success with the launch of Vietnam’s MoMo digital wallet, supporting Canva’s broader payments strategy to reach new communities.
Stuart Neal, CEO of Boku said, “We are delighted to partner with Canva and help broaden access to their visual communications platform by providing more payment choice for people across Asia. Local Payments are now the world’s preferred way to pay. This partnership highlights how the world’s best loved platforms can reach more end-users by giving people the freedom to subscribe and pay the way they want, wherever they are.”
Read more…
GMS Earns Tier 1 CPaaS Vendor Recognition from ROCCO, Validating AI-Driven Communication Solutions
GMS has been named a Tier One vendor for the second year in a row in ROCCO’s 2025 CPaaS Market Impact Report. Based on feedback from 80 enterprises across 35 countries and 30 performance KPIs, the report recognizes GMS for its global technical expertise, award-winning AI and multichannel communication solutions, and commitment to high security and compliance standards.
Charles Upchurch, CEO at GMS, commented: “We’re pleased to be recognised as a Tier One leader in ROCCO’s 2025 CPaaS Market Impact Report. This achievement reflects the work we have done over the years to help businesses communicate more effectively, securely, and at scale. With nearly two decades of experience in communications and network protection, we remain committed to co-creating market success with our enterprise partners by offering solutions that foster trust between brands and their customers, helping businesses grow and improve operational efficiency.”
Proximus Global achieves ‘Visionary’ status in Gartner Magic Quadrant for CPaaS
Proximus Global, formed from the merger of BICS, Telesign, and Route Mobile on January 1, 2025, has debuted in Gartner’s CPaaS Magic Quadrant as a ‘Visionary’. This recognition reflects its unified go-to-market strategy, strong focus on security and fraud prevention, and the global reach of its network backbone. The company is expanding RCS coverage to meet demand for interactive messaging and enhancing its CPaaS offering with Network APIs for telco-grade capabilities like location services, QoS, and device information.
Rajdip Gupta, Business Lead, Proximus Global and Managing Director & CEO, Route Mobile, added: “The combined strength and vision of Proximus Global allows us to achieve far more than any individual entity could do alone. This belief has been the cornerstone of our strategy from the very beginning, and being recognized by Gartner validates that our ambition and strategy are on solid ground. Our mission is to foster trustworthy engagements on a global scale, and our CPaaS offering plays a pivotal role in this – delivering unmatched global reach, a comprehensive range of channels and services, and security that’s seamlessly built-in rather than bolted-on.”
Despite 48% Interest, Over 90% of Global Consumers Have Reservations About AI For Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Sinch has released new research ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2025 revealing a paradox in consumer attitudes toward AI in shopping. While 48% believe AI will make BF/CM shopping easier, over 90% have concerns—primarily around data use and privacy. Consumers are open to AI’s benefits but want transparency, control over their data, and personalized, relevant communications as adoption increases.
“Consumers want help, not hype,” said Sophie Cheng, Senior Vice President of Product Marketing at Sinch. “They still want the benefits of AI, but they expect brands to prove it’s working in their interest. If your AI feels invasive or unverified, you won’t convert. Trust is the conversion engine this BF/CM. The brands that win will prove their communications are secure, relevant, and authentic.”
Tele2 and Manulife IM-backed GCI partner to create the first pan-Baltic tower company
Tele2 will spin off its telecom infrastructure in the Baltics into a new tower company, jointly owned 50/50 with Global Communications Infrastructure LLC (backed by Manulife Investment Management). Valued at €560M, the company will control ~2,700 sites across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Tele2 expects €440M in cash proceeds and will remain the anchor tenant under a 20-year Master Service Agreement, supporting ongoing mobile and 5G expansion in the region.
“We want to develop our tower assets together with a partner who brings both capital and expertise. This is a way for us to create additional value from the assets we have, together with an experienced partner who knows this business well,” says Jean Marc Harion, President and CEO of Tele2.
“We are proud to partner with Tele2 and support the future growth of digital connectivity in the Baltics. With a long-term perspective and commitment to investment, we see strong potential to develop high-quality, efficient and scalable infrastructure,” says Tim Culver, CEO of GCI.
“We have strong conviction in telecommunications infrastructure and the importance of tower assets in serving growing mobile demand. With both Manulife IM’s experience in this space and a seasoned leadership team, this partnership with Tele2 positions us to support the next wave of digital infrastructure investment,” says Recep Kendircioglu, Global Head of Infrastructure, Manulife Investment Management.
Read more…
tpay releases a white paper on unlocking business opportunities with new digital payments
tpay has released a white paper on the changing payments landscape, emphasizing the growing need for fast, seamless, and inclusive options as digital consumption surges. With one-third of the global population shopping online and e-commerce spending expected to rise from $6.8 trillion in 2024 to $10.8 trillion by 2030, the report highlights the urgency for businesses to adopt mobile-first, cashless, and borderless payment methods.
This white paper dives into:
- The explosive growth of e-commerce and mobile-first spending in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa
- The shift from cards to Direct Carrier Billing and Direct Wallet Billing as go-to payment methods
- A closer look at real-time payments, open banking, digital wallets, BNPL, and more
- How alternative payments are driving financial inclusion and unlocking new markets, particularly in regions with low banking access but high mobile usage
