Yellow Card, Africa’s leading licensed stablecoin payments orchestrator, has announced a strategic partnership with global payments giant Visa to drive innovation in cross-border payments and financial infrastructure across emerging markets. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in the adoption of stablecoin technology across developing economies.

The partnership, announced in June 2025, positions both companies at the forefront of the digital payments revolution in regions where traditional banking infrastructure often falls short of meeting growing demand for efficient cross-border transactions.

Through this strategic alliance, Visa and Yellow Card will collaborate to explore comprehensive stablecoin use cases that address critical pain points in emerging market payments. The partnership focuses on streamlining treasury operations, enhancing liquidity management, and enabling faster, more cost-effective money movement across borders.

Chris Maurice, Co-Founder and CEO of Yellow Card, emphasized the timing of this partnership, noting that “traditional payment companies continue to question not ‘if’ they need a stablecoin strategy, but how quickly they can deploy one.” This insight reflects the growing recognition across the payments industry that stablecoins represent a fundamental shift in how money moves globally.

The collaboration builds on Yellow Card’s established presence across 20+ African countries, where the company provides secure, compliant, and accessible stablecoin products for consumers, businesses, and developers. This extensive footprint positions the partnership to deliver immediate impact across diverse markets with varying regulatory environments and financial infrastructure maturity levels.

Godfrey Sullivan, Senior Vice President and Head of Product and Solution for CEMEA at Visa, reinforced the strategic importance of this partnership, stating that “every institution that moves money will need a stablecoin strategy.” This perspective aligns with broader industry trends where traditional payment processors are increasingly integrating blockchain-based solutions to remain competitive.

The partnership comes at a time when stablecoin adoption is accelerating across Africa and other emerging markets. Companies like Juicyway have already demonstrated the potential of stablecoin technology to reduce remittance costs from the current average of 13% on $200 transfers to significantly lower rates, while providing instant settlement capabilities.

Similarly, other fintech companies such as MANSA have secured substantial funding to expand stablecoin-based liquidity solutions, highlighting investor confidence in this technology’s ability to address cross-border payment challenges in emerging markets.

Founded in 2016 by Christopher Maurice and Justin Poiroux, Yellow Card has established itself as a critical financial gateway and infrastructure provider in emerging markets. Since launching operations in Nigeria in 2019, the company has processed over $6 billion in transaction volumes, serving a diverse clientele including banks, financial institutions, importers/exporters, manufacturers, food producers, and venture-backed FinTechs.

This impressive track record demonstrates Yellow Card’s ability to navigate complex regulatory environments while delivering scalable stablecoin solutions. The company’s existing relationships with traditional financial institutions position it well to facilitate Visa’s entry into stablecoin-powered payments across emerging markets.

Yellow Card’s previous integration of USDC on the Stellar network showcased its commitment to leveraging cutting-edge blockchain technology for enhanced user experience. This technical expertise will be crucial in developing innovative solutions with Visa that can operate efficiently across diverse market conditions.

The partnership addresses several critical challenges that have historically limited financial inclusion and economic growth in emerging markets. High transaction costs, limited liquidity, slow settlement times, and inadequate cross-border payment infrastructure have created barriers for businesses and individuals seeking to participate in the global economy.

Stablecoin technology offers solutions to these challenges by providing instant settlement capabilities, reducing intermediary costs, and enabling 24/7 transaction processing. For businesses in emerging markets, this means improved cash flow management, reduced foreign exchange risk, and enhanced ability to engage in international trade.

The collaboration between Yellow Card and Visa brings together complementary strengths. Visa’s global payment network infrastructure and established relationships with financial institutions worldwide complement Yellow Card’s deep understanding of emerging market dynamics and regulatory requirements.

This partnership represents more than just a collaboration between two payment companies; it signals a broader transformation in how global payments infrastructure is evolving. As Visa continues to expand its digital payment security capabilities through AI-powered solutions, the integration of stablecoin technology adds another layer of innovation to its service portfolio.

The success of this partnership could accelerate similar collaborations between traditional payment processors and blockchain-focused fintech companies. This trend would further legitimize stablecoin technology and potentially drive broader adoption across both developed and emerging markets.

For consumers and businesses in emerging markets, this partnership promises improved access to efficient, cost-effective payment solutions that can facilitate greater economic participation and growth. As both companies continue to develop and deploy their collaborative solutions, the impact on financial inclusion and economic development across emerging markets will be closely watched by industry stakeholders and policymakers alike.

The Yellow Card-Visa partnership represents a significant step forward in bridging traditional finance with innovative blockchain technology, potentially setting new standards for cross-border payments in emerging economies worldwide.