Flutterwave has entered into a long-term partnership with Polygon Labs to enable stablecoin-based transactions for merchants, marking a significant step in the company’s efforts to modernize payment systems across Africa. Under this multi-year collaboration, Polygon will serve as Flutterwave’s default blockchain network for a new cross-border payments product designed to make transactions faster, cheaper, and more transparent.
The initiative will allow businesses and consumers to send and receive payments using stablecoins—digital currencies pegged to traditional fiat currencies such as the US dollar. Flutterwave plans to launch a pilot program in 2025 with a limited number of verified merchants before expanding the service to all business and consumer users through its Send App in 2026.
A push toward stablecoin adoption
This announcement builds on Flutterwave’s earlier integration with the Circle Payment Network, which demonstrated its growing interest in stablecoins as an alternative to traditional payment rails. The company believes that using blockchain-powered digital currencies could eliminate many inefficiencies currently affecting cross-border payments in Africa.
Vincent Yang, Flutterwave’s Senior Product Manager for Stablecoins and Cryptocurrency, explained that the firm intends to make stablecoins as accessible and easy to use as fiat currency for its merchants. He mentioned that the company would begin by working with a small group of verified merchants before extending the service to consumer remittances.
According to Yang, the pilot will begin with USD Coin (USDC), the stablecoin issued by Circle, which will also assist Flutterwave with liquidity management and issuance. The first phase will focus on enterprise clients such as Uber and Audiomack, which already utilize Flutterwave for regional payment processing.
Tackling Africa’s high-cost payment landscape
Africa’s cross-border payments market, estimated at around $2 trillion, remains one of the most expensive in the world. Transaction fees often exceed 8%, and settlements can take several days. Flutterwave’s integration with Polygon aims to drastically reduce both the time and cost associated with these transfers.
Polygon Labs’ CEO Marc Boiron emphasized that using stablecoins on Polygon can shorten settlement times from days to seconds while reducing fees to mere pennies. He viewed the partnership as a sign of confidence in stablecoins as a viable solution for modernizing global payment systems.
When money moves faster, opportunity does too.
A multi-year collaboration will combine Polygon Labs’ payment rails with Flutterwave’s $40B scale to tackle high fees, slow settlement, and limited financial access across emerging markets.
— Polygon (@0xPolygon) October 30, 2025
Flutterwave’s founder and CEO, Olugbenga “GB” Agboola, noted that the collaboration aligns with the company’s mission to simplify international payments for African businesses. He highlighted that many enterprises in emerging economies process billions in cross-border transactions annually but continue to face steep costs and slow processing. The partnership with Polygon, he added, is expected to make international payments more affordable than many domestic transfers.
Ensuring regulatory and technical compliance
Flutterwave has stated that the stablecoin service will initially be available only to approved merchants who meet strict Know Your Customer (KYC) and Know Your Business (KYB) requirements. Yang mentioned that the company is working closely with regulators to ensure that the product launches only in jurisdictions with clear regulatory backing.
The integration will be accessible through Flutterwave’s existing API infrastructure, allowing merchants to enable stablecoin payments without making any technical modifications.
Aishwary Gupta, Polygon’s Head of Payments and Real World Assets, noted that Flutterwave’s integration puts Africa on par with other regions such as Europe and Asia, where firms like Grab and Mercado Libre already use Polygon’s blockchain for payment processing. He pointed out that over a hundred fintech companies globally are already moving funds on Polygon, and this partnership extends those capabilities to Africa, where they can have tangible economic benefits.
Advancing Africa’s digital finance evolution
For Flutterwave, the initiative represents progress toward integrating blockchain into Africa’s existing financial systems rather than replacing them. Yang emphasized that the goal is to make commerce within and beyond the continent simpler, with stablecoins serving as a key enabler in that vision.
As stablecoins continue to attract global attention in 2025, regulatory frameworks remain a work in progress. In Nigeria, for instance, the Securities Exchange Commission has made commendable efforts to better understand and regulate digital assets, though further steps are needed for widespread adoption.
Flutterwave’s partnership with Polygon signals a growing shift in Africa’s fintech landscape—toward blockchain-enabled payment infrastructure that promises efficiency, inclusivity, and reduced costs across borders.
