Unlimit: Mastering Global Fintech Expansion
For the last 11 years, Yulia Shevchenko has held a key position at Unlimit, a global fintech powerhouse. She has led licensing and regulatory authorisations across diverse continents such as Europe, the UK, the US, Asia, and Africa. Her role has provided her with unique insights into how fintech products must be specifically tailored for each market – from banking rails and local partnerships to consumer behaviour and compliance expectations.
In a recent interview with Retail Banker International (RBI), Shevchenko shared some valuable insights about Unlimit’s operations and its approach to market-by-market product development. She also discussed the future of digital assets and crypto infrastructure as regulators start to pay more attention to these areas.
Unlimit’s Unique Value Proposition
According to Shevchenko, Unlimit stands apart from other payment providers due to its unique approach. The company acts as a primary architect instead of a middleman. It has built a proprietary global network of local direct acquiring licenses across the world’s most complex markets. This includes regions from Latin America (LATAM) to Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
Unlimit offers merchants the sophisticated interface of a global fintech giant, combined with the raw performance and cost-efficiency of a local domestic provider. By owning the full payment stack and the regulatory licenses that come with it, Unlimit reduces both costs and technical latency. It is not just a gateway but a unified financial interface, making it just as easy for a business to deal with a customer in Mexico City or São Paulo as it would be with a customer in their home city.
Regulatory Expansion and Future Goals
In 2025, Unlimit achieved a significant milestone by becoming an authorised payment institution in Brazil. This development allowed the company to further develop its payment infrastructure. It also obtained an authorisation to operate as a cross-border payment aggregator in India, having been licensed as a domestic payment aggregator in 2024.
Moving forward to 2026, Unlimit aims to continue expanding its presence and range of services across multiple regions, including EMEA, APAC, and Latin America.
Market-by-Market Product Development
Shevchenko points out that while there are common regulatory expectations worldwide, the implementation of these requirements is unique to each country. This includes not only adapting the governance, Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and compliance framework to the regulatory regime but also adjusting the infrastructure to be efficient and compliant in each location.
Unlimit’s Speed of Rollout in New Markets
Shevchenko explains that Unlimit manages to outperform incumbent players in terms of speed of rollout in new markets. This is because traditional players are slowed down by fragmented licensing and legacy partnerships. Unlimit, on the other hand, holds direct licenses across multiple high-complexity markets simultaneously.
The Future of Digital Assets and Crypto Infrastructure
As regulators start to scrutinise virtual asset businesses more closely, Shevchenko expects the industry to benefit from more structured and controlled operational standards. She also mentions the adoption of stablecoins as a trend, pointing out that the regulatory approach to stablecoins is somewhat distinct from the approach to crypto assets.
Belgrade Investment and Unlimit’s Expansion Strategy
Unlimit has recently invested in a facility in Belgrade, a city that has emerged as a hub for advanced technology research and development. This investment supports the company’s expansion strategy and aids in maintaining a strong compliance posture in markets where they already operate.
Navigating Regulatory Divergence
Shevchenko shares how Unlimit navigates growing regulatory divergence when launching similar products across multiple jurisdictions. The key lies in identifying the differences and understanding their impact on the core processes, with the aim of developing global products that incorporate adjustable country-specific features.
Expansion Lessons and Mistakes
Shevchenko points out that one of the most common mistakes fintechs make when entering new markets is underestimating the differences and complexities of regulatory requirements. She advises global fintech businesses to adapt, localize, and integrate regulatory divergence into their products while maintaining a consistent compliance culture.
To read the full interview, click Here.
