INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY: DIGITAL PAYMENTS

Yellow Card, the largest licensed stablecoin infrastructure provider, is expanding into Latin America and Asia following success in Africa. A new report reveals that businesses in emerging markets are turning to stablecoins out of necessity, not hype. can play in deploying payment rails technology within this context, emphasising stablecoins as a fundamental tool for financial stability and efficiency,” said Lasbery Chioma Oludimu, VP of global operations and MD of Yellow Card Nigeria.

Yellow Card, which has established a presence in 20 countries, has already released two successful industry reports this year: Data Protection in Africa and The State of Digital Assets Regulation in Africa.

The latest report highlights that businesses in emerging markets are not adopting stablecoins because of enthusiasm for blockchain but to survive unpredictable economic environments and take advantage of cost savings and efficiencies.

“ Our success in Africa created the blueprint for our global expansion,” said Chris Maurice, CEO and Co-founder of Yellow Card.“ The financial friction businesses face, from currency devaluation to unreliable liquidity, isn’ t a regional issue; it’ s a universal one. We are now deploying that proven model to provide the essential financial rails that businesses everywhere need to thrive.”

The report analyses the drivers and infrastructure shaping digital finance across Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. It finds that unlike in Western nations, stablecoin adoption in these regions is fuelled by urgent, practical needs and realworld use cases.

“ The report highlights critical real-world applications such as facilitating cross-border trade, transforming insurance and aiding businesses with treasury management in volatile economies. It also details the rapid growth of stablecoin transactions, surpassing Visa and Mastercard in 2024. Furthermore, it demonstrates the role that key players like Yellow Card

Key insights from the report

• Annual stablecoin transaction value has reached US $ 15.6 trillion

• Central and Southern Asia, Africa and Latin America dominate the 2024 Chainalysis Global Crypto Adoption Index, with India and Nigeria ranked first and second

• In Argentina, 61.8 % of crypto transactions involved stablecoins as a direct response to soaring inflation

• Stablecoins now account for 43 % of total crypto transaction volume in Sub-Saharan Africa, with Nigeria processing nearly US $ 22 billion between July 2023 and June 2024

• 99 % of Yellow Card’ s business is in stablecoins, with top use cases including trading, treasury management, purchasing goods, business payments and cross-border payments

The report also explores the technological shift towards low-cost, high-speed blockchain networks and the growing institutional adoption of stablecoins through partnerships with fintechs and banks. p

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