Onafriq and Circle Launch USDC-Powered Cross-Border Payments in Africa leveraging blockchain to transform remittances.
Onafriq, Africa’s leading digital payments network, has partnered with Circle, the issuer of USD Coin (USDC), to introduce stablecoin-based cross-border transactions across more than 40 African countries.
The collaboration aims to reduce costs and settlement times for remittances and business payments using blockchain technology.
The integration allows Onafriq’s mobile money partners—including MTN, Airtel, and Safaricom—to send and receive USDC, which is pegged 1:1 to the US dollar.
This move addresses the high fees and delays associated with traditional remittance channels, where African migrants lose an estimated $1.8 billion annually in transfer costs.
Key benefits of the partnership include:
- Faster settlements: Transactions complete in seconds versus days
- Lower fees: Costs reduced by up to 80% compared to conventional methods
- Dollar stability: Protection against local currency volatility
Onafriq CEO Dare Okoudjou stated, “This is a game-changer for intra-Africa and Africa-global payments, especially for the unbanked.”
Circle’s Chief Strategy Officer added that USDC provides a “secure bridge” between fiat and digital economies.
The rollout begins in Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana, with plans to expand to Francophone and Southern Africa by Q4 2025.
Regulatory approvals are already secured in initial markets through Onafriq’s existing licenses.
This partnership signals Africa’s accelerating fintech innovation, combining mobile money infrastructure with blockchain efficiency.
As USDC adoption grows, it could reshape how millions send money across the continent.
