Yellow Card, the largest licensed Pan-Africa stablecoin provider, has partnered with Aptos Labs to bring instant, zero-fee USDT transactions to millions of users across 20 African countries.
The partnership, announced via the company’s official X handle and detailed in a joint blog post on Wednesday, will leverage Aptos’ high-speed blockchain to eliminate gas fees and enable near-instant settlements for businesses and individuals.
New era for Yellow Card users in Africa
The collaboration introduces a seamless way for Yellow Card customers to conduct USDT transactions without the usual bottlenecks of high fees or slow processing times.
According to the announcement, the Aptos network will sponsor all gas fees during the campaign, ensuring that cross-border payments, payroll management, and everyday purchases become faster and more affordable.
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“Africa is leading the way in stablecoin adoption for practical use cases, and our zero-fee, instant settlement capabilities are perfectly suited to meet this demand,” said Alex Heuer, Head of Payments at Aptos Labs.
The move comes as Sub-Saharan Africa emerges as a global leader in stablecoin usage, with over 54 million digital asset users seeking alternatives to traditional financial systems.
Furthermore, the partnership directly addresses long-standing challenges in African financial ecosystems, including hidden FX fees, transaction delays, and cumbersome payment processes.
By integrating Aptos’ scalable blockchain, capable of processing over 11,000 transactions per second (TPS) with sub-second finality, Yellow Card is positioning itself as a pioneer in frictionless digital payments.
Gillian Darko, Chief of Staff and Director of Strategy at Yellow Card, emphasised the initiative’s transformative potential:
“By eliminating gas fees and enabling instant settlement on the robust, next-generation Layer 1 Aptos network, we’re empowering millions to access faster, more affordable USDT and other stablecoins for everything from cross-border transfers to everyday purchases.”
The integration also underscores the growing role of stablecoins in global finance. In 2024 alone, stablecoin transfer volumes reached $27.6 trillion, surpassing the combined annual transactions of Visa and Mastercard. With USDT and USDC now live on Aptos via Yellow Card, businesses and individuals can tap into a more efficient, cost-effective financial infrastructure.
Aptos Labs’ technological strength
Built for high-volume, mobile-centric markets, Aptos’ architecture is uniquely suited to support Africa’s rapidly expanding digital economy.
Its advanced features, including parallel execution and account abstraction, ensure stablecoin transactions remain fast, secure, and scalable, even as adoption grows.
Yellow Card’s extensive reach across 20 African countries further amplifies the impact of this partnership. From small businesses managing international payrolls to families receiving remittances, the ability to transact instantly with zero fees could redefine financial inclusion on the continent.
The future of payments in Africa
As stablecoins transition from niche assets to essential payment tools, collaborations like this highlight blockchain’s potential to bridge gaps in traditional finance.
The two giant companies’ focus remains on delivering speed, affordability, and reliability to users who need it most.
With this partnership, the vision of a more inclusive and efficient financial ecosystem in Africa is closer than ever.