Circle has partnered with Sasai Fintech to accelerate adoption of the USDC stablecoin across African payment corridors, targeting remittances, business payments and mobile wallets. The agreement will integrate USDC into Sasai’s payments infrastructure — which handles cross-border transfers, enterprise payments and consumer wallets — with the goal of lowering transaction costs and speeding settlement times.
Under the deal, Sasai, which operates in multiple African markets, will connect its digital payments rails to Circle’s on-chain infrastructure and explore practical USDC use cases via Circle’s full-stack platform. The collaboration is framed as a response to growing demand for cross-border, mobile-first financial services in the region and aims to make transfers cheaper and faster for both consumers and businesses.
Reducing remittance costs is a global priority. The United Nations has set a target of average remittance fees below 3%, yet the World Bank reports that many Sub-Saharan African countries remain well above that level. A World Bank report from June 2025 noted that Sierra Leone, Uganda, Angola, Botswana and Zambia had average remittance costs above 7% in 2023, highlighting persistent frictions in existing payment systems.
Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire said the company is focusing on high-growth payment corridors in emerging markets. Cassava Technologies chairman Strive Masiyiwa added that integrating USDC could broaden access to digital financial services for businesses and consumers alike, supporting faster cross-border commerce and improved financial inclusion.
Adoption of stablecoins and crypto more broadly has been rising in Africa. Chainalysis data show Sub-Saharan Africa’s crypto activity grew 52% in the 12 months through June 2025, with more than $205 billion in on-chain value; Nigeria alone accounted for over $92 billion of that activity. Much of this usage is driven by remittances, cross-border payments and efforts to hedge against local currency volatility.
USDC is the world’s second-largest stablecoin by market capitalization — roughly $78.6 billion according to DefiLlama — behind Tether’s USDT at about $184.1 billion. That expanding stablecoin liquidity has encouraged crypto firms to increase their presence across the continent. For example, Blockchain.com recently entered Ghana after reporting more than 700% growth in brokerage transaction volume in Nigeria.
Regulatory frameworks are also starting to take shape. Ghana’s Securities and Exchange Commission approved 11 crypto trading platforms to join a regulatory sandbox under its Virtual Asset Service Providers Act, reflecting a move toward supervised market entry and consumer protections.
Regional thought leaders have stressed the practical benefits of crypto for payments. Former UN under-secretary-general Vera Songwe has said remittances are “more important than aid,” citing the potential for stablecoins to deliver faster, lower-cost transfers. Africa Bitcoin Corporation executive chairman Stafford Masie has observed that Bitcoin is already being used as money in some local economies.
The Circle–Sasai partnership seeks to capitalize on these trends by offering infrastructure that could reduce costs, accelerate settlements and expand digital payment options. Success will depend on factors including on-the-ground liquidity, user experience, partnerships with local financial institutions, and clear regulatory frameworks.
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