Visa Expands Stablecoin Settlement to Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa
Visa is accelerating its stablecoin strategy by expanding settlement capabilities across the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (CEMEA) region, while also partnering with pan-African digital asset platform Yellow Card, the company announced this week.
The expansion marks a major step in Visa’s effort to bring blockchain-powered payment infrastructure to emerging markets, where stablecoins are increasingly viewed as a fast, low-cost alternative for cross-border transactions.
Stablecoin Settlement Now Live Across CEMEA
Visa’s updated infrastructure now enables select issuers and acquirers in the region to settle US dollar-denominated cross-border payments via stablecoins, leveraging blockchain rails instead of traditional banking corridors. This move is designed to:
- Lower settlement costs
- Enhance liquidity management
- Enable 24/7/365 settlements across jurisdictions
Strategic Partnership With Yellow Card
As part of the expansion, Visa has entered a strategic partnership with Yellow Card, a prominent stablecoin infrastructure provider operating in over 20 African countries. The collaboration will focus on scaling real-time stablecoin settlement for digital wallets, opening doors for broader access to USD-backed transactions in underbanked regions.
This initiative aligns with Visa’s broader ambition to act as a bridge between Web2 financial institutions and Web3 payment ecosystems, especially in regions where digital currency adoption is outpacing legacy infrastructure.
With real-time, blockchain-based settlement now available across CEMEA, Visa is positioning itself at the forefront of stablecoin adoption in global payments.
Kosta Gushterov
Reporter at Coindoo
Kosta joined the team in 2021 and quickly established himself with his thirst for knowledge, incredible dedication, and analytical thinking. He not only covers a wide range of current topics, but also writes excellent reviews, PR articles, and educational materials. His articles are also quoted by other news agencies.
