Payoneer and Upwork Extend 15-Year Partnership to Support Pakistan’s Growing Freelance Economy
Payoneer (NASDAQ: PAYO), the global financial technology company powering business growth across borders, today announced the extension of its strategic partnership with Upwork, the world’s human and AI-powered work marketplace, marking 15 years of collaboration focused on enabling seamless global freelance payments.
Under the renewed agreement, Payoneer will continue serving as a primary wallet and “Direct to Local Bank” payout partner for Upwork, supporting international Upwork customers across Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East through Payoneer’s global financial infrastructure spanning 190+ countries and territories.
The partnership is particularly significant for Pakistan’s rapidly growing freelance and digital services economy, where cross-border payments, reliable withdrawals, and faster access to international earnings remain critical for freelancers, agencies, and remote professionals working with global clients through digital marketplaces.
As part of the extended collaboration, Upwork will also join Payoneer as a Design Partner to explore stablecoin-enabled payouts aimed at addressing increasing demand from freelancers seeking faster and more flexible access to funds in emerging markets.
The companies will additionally collaborate on leveraging Upwork’s global talent pool to support Payoneer’s ecosystem of small and medium-sized business (SMB) customers, helping businesses access cross-border talent and international growth opportunities more efficiently.
Commenting on the announcement, Ya Wen, Senior Vice President of Global Marketplaces, Payoneer, said: “Our long-standing partnership with Upwork shows what’s possible when deep technical and operational alignment, regulatory strength, and global reach come together to simplify cross-border payments for global talent. Through the Payoneer global financial stack, Upwork freelancers gain access to the Payoneer Account, global bank transfers, and FX management, benefits they need to grow their businesses across borders.”
Payoneer’s platform is supported by a network of nearly 100 banks and payment service providers and continues to support innovation in real-time payments and global money movement. The collaboration further reinforces Payoneer’s broader mission of powering the infrastructure behind global digital commerce while supporting marketplaces, entrepreneurs, freelancers, and SMBs operating internationally.
For Pakistan’s growing community of freelancers and digital exporters, the announcement reflects continued investment in building more reliable, scalable, and globally connected financial infrastructure designed to support cross-border growth.