Mastercard and Yellow Card have announced a new partnership aimed at expanding the use of stablecoin payments across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA), with plans to grow into other global markets over time.
The partnership will focus on building practical payment solutions using stablecoins, a type of digital currency designed to maintain a stable value by being linked to traditional currencies such as the US dollar.
Both companies said they plan to explore stablecoin use cases in four key areas: cross-border money transfers, business-to-business payments, digital rewards programmes, and treasury management for companies.
The collaboration will also involve banks, financial institutions, and regulators to test secure and compliant payment systems that combine traditional financial services with blockchain technology. The first markets targeted under the partnership include Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.
Chris Maurice said emerging markets present strong opportunities for payment innovation, especially in regions where access to traditional banking services remains limited.
According to him, Yellow Card’s experience building stablecoin infrastructure in African markets, combined with Mastercard’s global payment network, could help businesses and individuals move money across borders more cheaply and efficiently.
Mete Güney described stablecoins as a growing payment option that could improve efficiency in international trade and digital finance.
The companies also plan to strengthen payment security through Mastercard Crypto Credential, a system designed to improve trust and verification in blockchain-based transactions.
The agreement reflects growing interest in stablecoins across emerging markets, where businesses and consumers are increasingly looking for faster and lower-cost alternatives to traditional payment systems.
Yellow Card has become one of Africa’s leading licensed stablecoin operators, while Mastercard has continued expanding its blockchain and digital asset initiatives globally.
As regulations around digital assets become clearer in many countries, the partnership positions both companies to play a larger role in the future of blockchain-powered payments and financial services.
