Santander Launches Getnet in Colombia to Strengthen Latin American Payments Platform
Getnet, the payments solutions arm of Banco Santander, has launched operations in Colombia as part of its ongoing Latin American expansion strategy, connecting Colombian businesses with the broader regional payments ecosystem through unified technology infrastructure.
The launch, announced in Bogotá on March 16, positions Colombia as the latest market in Getnet's regional footprint. Federico Balige, recently appointed CEO of Getnet Colombia and Argentina, led the launch event alongside Banco Santander group officials and clients.
"The Colombian market's strategic and dynamic character will enable local enterprises to connect with Latin America's payments ecosystem through unified technological infrastructure," said Balige, who brings six years of experience from PayU GPO, where he served as CEO for Latin America.
Getnet's Colombian offering includes local e-commerce payment acceptance, advanced fraud prevention, and regional connectivity via its Single Entry Point (SEP) API — a regional integration layer that allows companies to access payments infrastructure across multiple Latin American markets through a single connection.
The move is significant given Colombia's position as a regional hub: the country hosts approximately 200 foreign multinational enterprises and around 20 Colombian multinationals with international operations. Getnet is positioning itself as a gateway for these companies to access cross-border payment capabilities alongside vertical-specific services spanning retail, tourism, healthcare, education, and other sectors.
Existing Santander clients in Colombia will gain access to an integrated suite combining Getnet's payment processing with banking services including cash management, transactional banking, foreign exchange, and trade financing through Banco Santander Colombia.
The numbers underscore the scale of Santander's payments ambitions: Getnet processed more than €238 billion ($317 billion) across 10.5 billion transactions in 2025, serving 1.2 million clients. The company ranks as Latin America's largest acquirer by transaction volume and among the world's top ten processors globally.
The Colombia launch follows Getnet's introduction of its SEP platform across Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and Chile in late 2024, and continues Santander's broader strategy to build an integrated, multi-country acquiring platform across Latin America and Europe.
