Visa and Yellow Card launch new digital dollar system
New stablecoin infrastructure aims to modernise cross-border payments, reducing fees and delays that have long plagued African markets.
Visa is stepping up efforts to improve cross-border payments in Africa by partnering with Yellow Card Financial to roll out stablecoin settlements across 20 markets. The pilot will start later this year in an undisclosed country, offering faster and cheaper transactions.
The collaboration promises near-instant, low-cost stablecoin transfers by combining Visa Direct’s payment network with Yellow Card’s licences in Africa and the broader CEMEA region.
These services come at a critical time, as local currency volatility and shortages of US dollars have hampered trade and remittances across the continent.
Visa’s stablecoin infrastructure has already processed over $225 million in USDC settlements since 2023. Yellow Card, which has handled over $6 billion in crypto transactions, offers Visa immediate access to a mature crypto corridor.
The partnership seeks to modernise traditional payment rails by reducing fees, improving liquidity management, and boosting resilience.
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