Flutterwave Partners with Polygon to Enable Stablecoin Payments Across Africa

Flutterwave Partners with Polygon to Enable Stablecoin Payments Across Africa

Flutterwave is bringing stablecoin payments to Africa through a new multi-year partnership with Polygon, one of the world’s leading blockchain networks. Under the deal, Polygon will serve as Flutterwave’s default blockchain network for its upcoming cross-border payment product, allowing merchants and consumers to send and receive money using stablecoins.

Stablecoins are digital currencies tied to traditional fiat currencies—like the US dollar—offering the speed of crypto with the stability of cash.

Pilot Launch in 2025

Flutterwave plans to begin pilot testing in 2025 with selected merchants before expanding to all users through its Send App in 2026. The company aims to make stablecoins a reliable alternative to fiat payments for everyday business transactions.

According to Vincent Yang, Flutterwave’s Senior Product Manager for Stablecoins and Cryptocurrency, “We want to make stablecoins another alternative for our merchants—something as easy and accessible as fiat.”

Tackling Africa’s Costly Cross-Border Payments

Africa’s $2 trillion cross-border payments market is among the most expensive globally, with transfer fees averaging above 8% and settlement often taking several days. Flutterwave believes its integration with Polygon can cut costs and settlement times significantly.

“Stablecoins on Polygon can advance settlement times from days to seconds and high fees into pennies,” said Marc Boiron, CEO of Polygon Labs. “It’s a massive vote of confidence in stablecoins as the future of cross-border payments.”

The company will begin by supporting USDC, the stablecoin issued by Circle, which will also provide liquidity and issuance support. Initial rollout will target enterprise clients like Uber and Audiomack, both of which already rely on Flutterwave for regional transactions.

Expanding Global Reach

Flutterwave’s CEO and Founder, Olugbenga “GB” Agboola, said the partnership aligns with the company’s mission to simplify international payments for African businesses. Earlier in 2025, Flutterwave also joined the Circle Payment Network, underscoring its growing interest in stablecoins as a next-generation payment rail for global commerce.

This move could position Flutterwave as a key player in connecting African merchants to global markets through faster, cheaper, and more transparent digital transactions.

TechCity