Yellow Card, a licensed stablecoin infrastructure and payments provider, is accelerating its international expansion after securing $40 million in strategic funding, taking its total equity financing to more than $120 million as it positions its African-rooted business for a larger role in global payments.
The latest funding round, announced on August 4, attracted investment from SC Ventures by Standard Chartered, Sony Innovation Fund, Polychain Capital, Blockchain Capital and other strategic investors.
The capital is expected to support the expansion of Yellow Card’s Global USD Accounts, an end-to-end dollar account designed for businesses, while strengthening the stablecoin payment rails connecting its markets and supporting deeper expansion into Latin America and Asia-Pacific.
Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos, Lasbery Oludimu, group vice president of Operations and managing director of Yellow Card Nigeria, said the company’s growth strategy was no longer centred simply on adding countries, but on building the infrastructure, regulatory systems and institutional relationships required to operate sustainably across markets.
“Our growth is not simply about entering more countries. We are building the infrastructure, regulatory footprint and partnerships required to connect businesses across markets reliably and compliantly. Africa remains central to that story, even as we expand globally,” Oludimu said.
Yellow Card now operates across more than 50 markets, offering stablecoin payments, fiat settlement rails, wallet services and custom local stablecoin issuance.
Oludimu said the company had deliberately evolved from an Africa-focused business into a global stablecoin infrastructure and payments company, with the expansion reflecting a broader shift in how stablecoins are being used by businesses.
“We have grown from a primarily Africa-focused business into a global stablecoin infrastructure and payments company. Our growth has been very deliberate. We are not simply entering new markets; we are building the infrastructure, regulatory footprint and partnerships needed to operate sustainably at scale,” she said.
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From crypto product to payments infrastructure
For Yellow Card, the latest capital injection comes as the company seeks to position stablecoins less as a crypto trading product and more as infrastructure for international commerce.
Oludimu said businesses were increasingly looking at stablecoins as a practical tool for moving money, managing treasury and accessing global markets.
“Stablecoins are increasingly moving beyond being viewed simply as a crypto product. They are becoming practical infrastructure for businesses that need more efficient ways to move money, manage treasury and participate in global commerce,” she said.
The company’s strategy is therefore focused on building the underlying rails that allow businesses to move between stablecoins and fiat currencies across different jurisdictions.
Yellow Card’s Global USD Accounts form part of that strategy, providing businesses with dollar-denominated accounts linked to its broader stablecoin infrastructure. The company said the accounts are already used by customers including Visa and Western Union.
The latest funding will allow Yellow Card to scale the product while extending the stablecoin rails connecting businesses to markets across its network.
The company has also developed partnerships with global financial and payments companies including Visa, Mastercard, Western Union, Thunes and MoneyGram.
Institutional investors deepen stablecoin bet
The participation of Standard Chartered and Sony in the latest funding round also underscores the increasing interest of established financial and technology companies in stablecoin infrastructure.
Yellow Card said the $40 million round included strategic investment from SC Ventures, Standard Chartered’s innovation, fintech investment and ventures arm, as well as Sony Innovation Fund.
For Oludimu, the participation of institutions outside the traditional crypto-native investment ecosystem reflects the changing perception of stablecoins and their potential role in financial infrastructure.
The funding brings Yellow Card’s total equity financing to more than $120 million, providing additional capital for the company’s international expansion.
The company is backed by investors including Polychain Capital, Blockchain Capital, Valar Ventures and Third Prime Ventures.
Regulation becomes central to global expansion
As Yellow Card expands, regulation is becoming an increasingly important component of its international strategy.
In June, the company secured regulatory AML affiliation in Switzerland as a supervised financial intermediary through its wholly owned Swiss subsidiary.
According to Yellow Card, the Swiss entity provides banking partners and institutional and corporate clients with a regulated point of contact for accessing its stablecoin infrastructure across Africa, the United States, Latin America and other emerging markets.
Oludimu described Switzerland as another step in a deliberate market-by-market regulatory expansion strategy.
“Switzerland is the latest step in a deliberate, market-by-market regulatory expansion strategy, not a one-off; more licenses and registrations are in progress,” she said.
Yellow Card said its growing regulatory portfolio also includes the first VASP licence issued on the African continent, while the company holds a Crypto Asset Service Provider and Third-Party Payment Provider licence in South Africa, a CASP licence in Botswana and Money Services Business registration with the US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
The company also maintains regulatory registrations across multiple jurisdictions, including the European Union.
Compliance underpins expansion
Oludimu said Yellow Card’s global ambitions depend on its ability to maintain robust governance and financial crime controls as its footprint expands.
The company has been nominated for the 2026 Morgans Governance, Risk Management and Compliance Financial Crime Awards in the Africa Edition, including the Organisational Excellence in Governance, Risk and Compliance category.
Yellow Card has received seven nominations across five categories, including nominations for members of its compliance team.
Oludimu said the recognition reflects the company’s emphasis on KYC onboarding, anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing controls, sanctions screening, fraud prevention, transaction monitoring and anti-bribery measures.
The company was also named to Fortune’s inaugural Crypto Innovators list in June, an external recognition of companies contributing to the digital asset ecosystem through technology, infrastructure, security and adoption.
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Africa remains strategic
Despite its expanding international footprint, Yellow Card said Africa remains a core part of its growth strategy.
Oludimu said the continent’s persistent challenges around cross-border payments, access to global currencies and international commerce create opportunities for stablecoin infrastructure.
“Africa remains central to that story, even as we expand globally. We believe some of the biggest opportunities for stablecoins are in markets where businesses still face real challenges moving money, accessing global currencies, and participating efficiently in international commerce,” she said.
The company’s strategy therefore combines global expansion with continued investment in infrastructure serving businesses operating in African markets.
Oludimu said Yellow Card’s ambition was ultimately to build a network that allows businesses to connect more efficiently across jurisdictions rather than simply creating a presence in individual countries.
“There is a lot happening at Yellow Card, but the common thread across all of these developments is that we are building for the long term,” she said.
With more than 50 markets now covered, total equity funding above $120 million and a growing network of institutional partnerships and regulatory approvals, Yellow Card is seeking to establish itself as a global infrastructure provider at a time when stablecoins are increasingly being integrated into mainstream payments and financial services.
“Our focus is on building that infrastructure responsibly and ensuring African businesses are part of this evolution,” Oludimu said.
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