Mastercard is moving further into stablecoin payments through a new partnership with African crypto firm Yellow Card. The two companies plan to build payment systems that use stablecoins across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA). The focus includes cross-border transfers, business payments, treasury use, and digital loyalty programs. The rollout will start in markets such as Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.
The partnership comes as global payment companies compete to connect blockchain systems with traditional banking networks. Mastercard and Yellow Card say they will work with banks, regulators, and financial institutions to test compliant payment systems built on stablecoins.
The goal is to make transfers faster and reduce transaction costs for both businesses and individuals. The move also reflects growing interest from institutions in using blockchain for everyday payments in emerging markets.
Stablecoins move closer to mainstream payments
Yellow Card CEO Chris Maurice said many emerging markets still struggle with limited access to banking services and slow payment systems. He said stablecoins could help ease those problems by making cross-border transfers faster and cheaper. “We bring years of experience building compliant stablecoin infrastructure where traditional banking falls short,” Maurice said. He added that Mastercard’s global network could help extend these systems to more countries.
Mastercard executive Mete Güney said more institutions are now showing interest in using stablecoins for payment settlement. “Stablecoins are an exciting and useful option for some payments,” he said. He added that the partnership could improve how cross-border trade and business payments work, while also improving security in transactions.
Real-time blockchain settlement gains momentum
The company recently took part in a near-real-time cross-border Treasury settlement involving Ondo Finance, Ripple, and JPMorgan’s Kinexys platform. The transaction completed in under five seconds using the XRP Ledger. The pilot used Ondo’s tokenized U.S. Treasury fund, OUSG. Consequently, firms continue testing blockchain systems that operate outside traditional banking hours.
At the same time, MoonPay launched the MoonAgents Card, a virtual Mastercard debit card linked to stablecoin wallets. The card allows users and autonomous AI agents to spend stablecoins directly at merchants worldwide. MoonPay CEO Ivan Soto-Wright said, “Agents are already managing wallets, executing trades, and moving value onchain. The one thing they couldn’t do was spend at a merchant. Now they can.”
Together, these developments show how stablecoins are gradually shifting from trading instruments into practical payment tools used in real-world transactions.
Also Read: Alchemy Pay Launches Alchemy Chain Mainnet to Accelerate Global Stablecoin Payments
