Stablecoins — digital currencies pegged to traditional assets like the US dollar — offer a low-cost, fast alternative to traditional cross-border transfers. Yellow Card’s collaboration with Visa could help mainstream this technology across emerging markets.
By the numbers
- Yellow Card operates in 20 African countries.
- The partnership with Visa will debut stablecoin payments in at least one African market in 2025.
- The global stablecoin market could reach $3.7 trillion — with Africa positioned as a major use case region.
Driving the news
The two companies will explore how stablecoins can:
- Improve treasury operations and liquidity management.
- Enable faster, more cost-effective cross-border transactions.
- Integrate into the broader financial ecosystem through Visa’s global infrastructure.
“Visa sells virtually to every bank in the world,” said Yellow Card CEO Chris Maurice. “It opens up opportunities to work with financial institutions that can benefit from the technology the most.”
The big picture
African countries are increasingly embracing digital finance tools — and creating regulatory frameworks to match.
- Kenya’s Virtual Asset Service Providers Bill is being called the most progressive in Africa, clearly distinguishing between stablecoins and speculative crypto assets.
- Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa are also making regulatory headway.
“Those use cases are going to really change the industry,” said Edline Murungi, senior legal counsel at Yellow Card. “If other countries follow suit, then Kenya is going to be a hub for a lot of digital-asset activities.”
Zoom out
Traditional remittance corridors are slow and expensive, especially across Africa. Stablecoins offer an alternative — but adoption hinges on trust, regulation, and integration with legacy payment systems.
What’s next
Yellow Card plans to launch stablecoin services in at least one African country this year, with broader rollout to follow — positioning itself as a key player in Africa’s evolving financial future.
Source: Bloomberg
