EBANX announces Robert-Jan Lieben as new VP in Europe to boost e-commerce between EU and emerging markets

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With nearly two decades of experience in the payment industry, Lieben joins EBANX to lead partnerships with European tech companies expanding their businesses to the world's fastest-growing digital markets: Latin America, Africa, and India

AMSTERDAM and CURITIBA, Brazil, March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With an eye on the exponential growth of emerging markets, where the volume of online sales is expected to exceed USD 1.3 trillion by 2027, European companies are looking to countries such as Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Nigeria, South Africa, and India to boost their businesses. In this context, EBANX, a global Payments Service Provider (PSP) specialising in emerging markets, announces Robert-Jan Lieben as its new Vice-President of Commercial in Europe.

A former PayPal Director with nearly two decades of experience in developing new businesses and in-depth knowledge about the payments industry, Lieben joins EBANX to strengthen the fintech's connection with European companies, who are already among the PSP's key merchants. The announcement follows other strategic moves within the region, such as the inaugural chapter of EBANX's 7th Payments Summit, held in Barcelona, Spain, last September. Based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, he will have a strategic role in supporting European businesses' international expansion to the world's fastest-growing digital markets: Latin America, Africa, and India.

"What excites me most about this new professional challenge is representing a PSP that offers not just payment processing, but a complete understanding of local regulations, consumer preferences, and market dynamics that are essential for success," said Lieben, the new EBANX VP for Commercial in Europe.

Fastest-growing digital markets

Data from Payments and Commerce Market Intelligence (PCMI) featured in the new edition of Beyond Borders, EBANX's annual comprehensive study on payment trends in emerging economies, shows exactly how verticals with a strong presence of European companies are growing at an accelerated pace in emerging markets.

"All tech companies are seeking ways to amplify their business and, more importantly, capture the right opportunities at the right moment," Lieben said. "And there has not been a better time to invest and expand in Latin America, Africa, and India. With the maturity of digital commerce, strong consumer purchasing power, and the growing appetite of European businesses to enter emerging markets, now is the ideal moment."

Online retail in Latin America, for example, is expected to accelerate by 26% per year until 2027. In India and across Africa, the sector is expected to grow by 20% and 16% annually over the next two years, respectively. Other digital verticals, such as Gaming, Travel, and Streaming, will also increase their sales by double digits in those three regions during this period, at 21% in Africa for Gaming, 18% in India for Travel, and 14% in LatAm for streaming.

Local processing and global settlement

The appointment of Lieben represents a strategic match that brings together his deep understanding of Europe tech companies' needs with EBANX's extensive knowledge of Latin American and other emerging markets. "This combination creates a powerful bridge among these economies," said João Del Valle, CEO and Co-founder of EBANX. "Lieben understands the expansion challenges Europe businesses face, while our team understands the local nuances that make emerging markets so powerful. Together, we're distinctively positioned to help European companies succeed in these high-growth regions."

The opportunities presented by local, real-time payment methods like Pix, Brazil's instant payment system with 90% penetration, SPEI, Mexico's transfer system, Nequi, one of the fastest-growing digital payment platforms in Colombia, Ozow, South Africa's leading instant EFT payments provider, UPI, India's ubiquitous instant payments system, as well as debit and credit cards from domestic schemes, are excellent examples of how a partner with local processing capability and global settlement structure, such as EBANX, can be key in the expansion strategy of any company.

"We were able to help merchants from all over the world understand these payment methods' opportunities and strengths, and adapt their offerings," explained Del Valle. "As a result, they are able not only to establish themselves successfully in emerging markets but also to rapidly increase their customer base, as they were already prepared to meet these markets' demands."

For instance, digital companies accepting Pix in Brazil with EBANX experience a 16% increase in their revenue and a 25% growth in the number of clients. Soon, the recurrency feature will be available in Pix's system, with the launch of Pix Automático expected for June. EBANX's merchants can already access the technical documentation to integrate Pix Automático's API and start backend development and testing.

"Emerging markets are leading the global shift towards real-time payments and digital financial solutions, and merchants that ride this wave and master the most popular payment methods will be best positioned to capitalise on these opportunities," Lieben added.

ABOUT EBANX
EBANX is the leading payment platform connecting global businesses to the world's fastest-growing digital markets. Founded in 2012 in Brazil, EBANX was built with a mission to expand access to international digital commerce. Leveraging proprietary technology, deep market expertise, and robust infrastructure, EBANX enables global companies to offer hundreds of local payment methods across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. More than just payments, EBANX drives growth, enhances sales, and delivers seamless purchase experiences for businesses and consumers alike.

For further information, please visit:
Website: https://www.ebanx.com/en/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ebanx

Contact:
Leonardo Stamillo
leo@contentco.tech
ContentCO

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