How Strategic Event Sponsorship Turned Market Access Into Millions in Closed Deals for AltPayNet
AltPayNet's three-year Money20/20 Asia journey reveals how the right platform transforms networking opportunities into partnerships, market validation, and sustained competitive advantage in Asia's fast-moving fintech landscape
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When Don Vacal, CEO of AltPayNet, received an outreach from the Money20/20 Asia team in 2025, the decision to sponsor wasn't difficult. Don had participated in various Money20/20 events across the globe and knew the platform's reputation firsthand. What he didn't anticipate was how quickly that initial sponsorship would translate into tangible business outcomes.
Solving the Expansion Gap for Fintech Startups
Since 2015, AltPayNet has been addressing a critical challenge in the digital payments ecosystem: helping startups and financial institutions expand into new markets without the typical technology barriers. Operating as an all-in-one platform, the company provides payment gateway services, licensing solutions, back-office operations, and product development consultancies to merchants looking to scale globally.
"We own our IP, we've built our own payment gateway, and we have global connectivity," Don explains. "Our offerings take away the technology barrier for startups wanting to deliver value to a particular market."
It's a value proposition that requires constant validation, relationship-building, and visibility in a rapidly evolving industry—exactly what brought AltPayNet to Money20/20 Asia.
From Booth Presence to Closed Partnerships
The results speak for themselves. Since AltPayNet's first Money20/20 Asia appearance in 2025, the company has closed multiple significant partnerships that originated or were fortified at the event:
- PalawanPay: AltPayNet successfully integrated PalawanPay as a payment method, enabling seamless payment acceptance for both private enterprises and government agencies through its unified payments infrastructure.
- Veem: The company is nearing completion of its integration with Veem to strengthen cross-border payment capabilities, particularly from the USA, providing businesses with more efficient international payment options and broader global connectivity.
- PayDibs: Through this partnership, AltPayNet now powers payment processing in Malaysia, expanding secure and convenient payment access for Filipinos based overseas, including support for real-time government contributions through Billeroo.
"We've had easy conversations with our new clients right from the start," Don notes. "They came to our booth and were curious about our payment services. We asked them about their current landscape, and from there we figured out possible use cases where we can insert ourselves in their ecosystem."
The booth presence itself became a validation tool. Potential partners who may have been contacted outside the show gained confidence seeing AltPayNet's brand visibility on the Money20/20 floor. "Partners get impressed and interact with us at our booth," Don says. "It brings validation."
Quality Over Quantity
Having attended fintech events for nearly two decades—from shows in Europe to the Middle East and Asia — Don draws a clear distinction about Money20/20 Asia's audience quality. "Money20/20 is an event for experts. People go there because they know the experts go there," he emphasizes.
"You get the sense that people have intense discussions. The intention is there to build products themselves. It limits the noise and increases quality discussion."
This expert concentration delivers multiple strategic benefits beyond deal-making:
Market Validation: Direct access to industry leaders, regulators, and innovative new players helps AltPayNet validate product-market fit and refine their offerings in real-time.
Regulatory Insights: Engagement with government officials and regulators provides critical intelligence for navigating complex compliance landscapes across Asian markets.
Competitive Intelligence: Exposure to emerging solutions and hearing success stories from other companies helps AltPayNet stay ahead in a fast-moving, highly innovative market.
"There's so much going on at events that draws big quantity of attendees," Don observes. "Money20/20 is more specific. We can focus on networking opportunities and learn from other experts. We might be left behind if we don't participate because the industry is fast-changing."
Amplifying Presence Through Content and Speaking
AltPayNet has leveraged its Money20/20 participation beyond the show floor, recognizing that modern differentiation requires more than personal relationships.
"It is no longer enough to build a business based on personal relationships," Don argues. "You need meaningful content to stand out in the mainstream market."
The company has focused on creating distinctive content like country reports—a rarity among payment platforms—and engaging strategically with media, regulators, and government stakeholders. Speaking opportunities at Money20/20 have amplified these messages to a qualified audience actively seeking industry insights.
Most recently, in July 2026, Don attended the PCCI-PhilCan Business Council & Philippine Canada Trade Council Industry Reception in Vancouver, where AltPayNet announced partnerships and an MOU signing with Cypher by Holt—continuing the momentum built through their Money20/20 presence.
The Evolution That Keeps Them Coming Back
By 2026, Don observed a notable evolution in the event itself: "More quality audience and lots of meetings going on. You get the sense that people have intense discussions. A lot of events have a strong crowd but you have limited discussions focused on closing deals and signing partnerships. It's important that AltPayNet has brand visibility, quality audience access, and market insights to validate we have the right product-market fit."
This evolution aligned perfectly with AltPayNet's own growth trajectory. The decision to rebook for 2027 came early in the cycle because, as Don puts it simply, "The show has satisfied our checkboxes, so we've already allocated budget for the event."
Looking Ahead to Money20/20 Asia 2027
For their third consecutive appearance, AltPayNet plans to showcase their continued evolution: • New licenses acquired • Ongoing innovations and product developments • Demonstrated growth metrics • Expanded market opportunities
"Being at the show gives the message that we are consistently there," Don explains. "We're able to present the brand, validate ideas in the market, and have the opportunity to showcase innovations."
The Bottom Line for Fintech Leaders
When asked what he would tell another fintech leader considering Money20/20 Asia sponsorship, Don's response is unequivocal:
"If they want to achieve market insights and be exposed to industry opportunities, speak to other leaders, present their ideas, network with a quality audience, be in a room with lots of successful leaders and innovative products, understand regulatory frameworks—the value you get versus the spend in terms of opportunities makes Money20/20 Asia the place to be."
For AltPayNet, that value has manifested in closed partnerships, market validation, sustained brand visibility, and a competitive edge in one of the world's most dynamic fintech regions. Three years in, with a fourth already committed, the ROI calculation is clear.
The question for other fintech leaders isn't whether they can afford to sponsor Money20/20 Asia—it's whether they can afford not to.
AltPayNet provides payment gateway services and licensing solutions to providers worldwide, operating since 2015 with a focus on serving over 10 million Filipinos globally through affordable, reliable, and centralized payment infrastructure.
AltPayNet will be returning to Money20/20 Asia as a sponsor for the third consecutive year, reinforcing its commitment to strategic event engagement in the fintech sector. Attendees can visit the company at booth 5002 during Money20/20 Asia, scheduled for April 27-29, 2027.