VANCOUVER, British Columbia & SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 29, 2025--
Geoswift announced today the integration of Visa Direct with Geoswift's cross-border payments platform. Visa Direct facilitates payouts to more than 140 countries and territories. The integration will enable payouts in 32 countries and territories, across 13 currencies, covering major markets in Asia Pacific, North America, Europe and Middle East, with plans for more in the future.
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Geoswift is a leading provider of cross-border payment services and solutions globally. With over two decades of innovation, it has become a trusted name in B2B, education, eCommerce, remittance, and travel payment use cases. Raymond Qu, Group CEO of Geoswift, stated, "At Geoswift, our vision has always been to deliver borderless payment solutions to our customers. Our partnership with Visa enhances our global reach, empowering our customers to achieve their business goals more effectively on a global scale."
Swapnil Mhasde, Head of Visa Direct Commercialisation and Solutions, Asia Pacific, said, "We are confident that this partnership will open new opportunities for Geoswift in Asia Pacific. Visa Direct’s mission is to make money movement simpler, faster, more secure and cost effective through a single point of access that connects everyone, everywhere."
About Geoswift
Geoswift is an innovative global payment technology company specializing in APAC cross-border payments. Since its founding in 2010, the Geoswift brand has become synonymous with proprietary innovation, deep expertise in international and local regulatory frameworks, robust banking partnerships, and a strong global presence. Licensed in the United States, United Kingdom, and China—and supported by an extensive payment network spanning APAC, North America, and EMEA—Geoswift provides customized, end-to-end cross-border payment solutions for a broad spectrum of industries, including education, e-commerce, travel, and financial services.
Its comprehensive product suite includes payment acceptance, business payouts, foreign exchange, multi-currency business accounts, card solutions, and more. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, Geoswift has regional offices in Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, San Francisco, London, Singapore, and Shenzhen—offering seamless, localized payment solutions to clients across the globe.
Bryan Ma, SVP, Head of Geoswift Global Payments, and Swapnil Mhasde, Head of Visa Direct Commercialization and Solutions, Asia Pacific, celebrating the launch in Singapore.
COLUMBIA, S.C (AP) — A South Carolina jury heard closing arguments Monday in the trial of a store owner charged with murder in the 2023 fatal shooting of a Black 14-year-old as prosecutors and defense lawyers painted different pictures of the killing.
Prosecutors have said the shooting was unprovoked, while defense lawyers have said Chikei Rick Chow only fired to defend his son.
Chow, 61, who is Asian, shot Cyrus Carmack-Belton in the back during a foot chase in Columbia. Chow believed — wrongly, prosecutors say — that the teen had stolen four bottles of water from the gas station convenience store. The killing sent waves of anguish and grief through the African American community in Richland County, where nearly half the population is Black.
Chow admits to shooting Belton. However, defense lawyers argue the teen pointed a gun at Chow's son, Andy, and the father fired one shot to defend his son.
“This case is not about a shoplifter. This case is about a father who sees a gun pointed at his son and had to make a decision," Defense attorney Shaun Kent told jurors. The defense attorney said Andy Chow testified that Carmack-Belton pointed a gun at him.
Defense lawyers have said Chow made a split-second decision to defend his son. They had argued Chow performed CPR on Carmack-Belton, which they said shows he acted without malice — a required element of a murder charge in South Carolina.
Prosecutors acknowledge Carmack-Belton had a semiautomatic pistol, but they say it fell on the ground during the chase and he never threatened anyone with it. Prosecutors said Chow chased the teen more than 130 yards (119 meters) from the store.
Solicitor Byron E. Gipson told jurors that Chow “chased a kid down, shot him in the back."
Gipson said multiple witnesses testified that they didn't see anything in Carmack-Belton's hands and didn't see him point a gun.
“Nobody testified that happened that doesn't have the last name Chow," Gipson said.
During closing arguments, Gipson placed a bottle of water before jurors. Gipson said that Chow “at the end of the day, believed that a human is not more than that.”
Prosecutors said a quick check of the surveillance tape would have shown that Carmack-Belton did not steal from the store. During the trial, witness Lori Carson testified that she saw Carmack-Belton running away from the store with Chow and his son in pursuit. She said she never saw a gun or anything else in the teen’s hands. She said the teen looked scared.
Protestors held vigils outside the store in the wake of the killing. Empty water bottles were arranged to spell out “Cyrus."
Andy Chow testifies as a defense witness in the murder trial against his father Chikei Rick Chow, accused in the 2023 fatal shooting of a Black 14-year-old, shown in the screen above, Friday, May 29, 2026, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)
Chikei Rick Chow, left, accused in the 2023 fatal shooting of a Black 14-year-old, is escorted in the courtroom during his murder trial, Friday, May 29, 2026, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)
