Visa, M-Pesa Launch Stablecoin Pilot to Transform Cross-Border Payments in Africa
Visa, M-Pesa, and pan-African payments infrastructure provider Onafriq have launched a pilot program in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to test the use of stablecoins for settling cross-border mobile money transactions, marking a significant step toward faster, cheaper, and more efficient digital payments across Africa.
The pilot enables M-Pesa wallet top-ups to be settled in the background using stablecoins—digital assets pegged to fiat currencies—while maintaining the same user experience for consumers. The initiative is designed to bridge Africa's mobile money ecosystems with global payment networks, addressing long-standing challenges associated with cross-border remittances and international transfers.
According to Visa, mobile money has revolutionized domestic digital payments across Africa, but cross-border transactions remain constrained by high costs, lengthy settlement times, and fragmented payment infrastructure. The company believes stablecoin-based settlement can help financial institutions, fintech firms, and mobile network operators overcome these barriers while improving liquidity management and reducing transaction friction.
The pilot builds on the recent launch of Visa Pay in the DRC, which connects M-Pesa, Airtel Money, and Orange Money wallets to Visa's global payment network through Onafriq's infrastructure. By integrating stablecoin settlement into this ecosystem, the partners aim to create a more seamless cross-border payment experience for consumers and businesses alike.
Industry data underscores the scale of the opportunity. According to the GSMA, mobile money transactions in Sub-Saharan Africa reached $1.4 trillion in 2025, representing a 26% year-on-year increase, while transaction volumes climbed to 96 billion, highlighting the growing demand for more efficient international payment infrastructure.
Visa said the DRC initiative will serve as a live testing ground for stablecoin-enabled settlement before broader adoption across additional African markets. If successful, the model could significantly reduce the cost and complexity of remittances, business-to-business payments, and other cross-border financial transactions, while supporting greater financial inclusion across the continent.