Stablecoin infrastructure and payments provider Yellow Card is expanding its international operations after securing $40 million in strategic funding while strengthening its regulatory presence and partnerships with major financial and payments companies.

The latest funding round attracted investments from SC Ventures by Standard Chartered, Sony Innovation Fund, Polychain Capital, Blockchain Capital and other strategic investors. The new capital takes Yellow Card’s total equity financing to more than $120 million.

The company currently operates across more than 50 markets, providing stablecoin payments, fiat settlement rails, wallet services and local stablecoin issuance.

Speaking during a media interactive session in Lagos, Group Vice President of Operations and Managing Director of Yellow Card Nigeria, Lasbery Oludimu, said the company’s expansion is centred on building infrastructure, partnerships and regulatory frameworks that can help businesses move money more efficiently between 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.

The latest capital will support the expansion of Yellow Card’s Global USD Accounts, an end-to-end dollar account designed for businesses, while also strengthening the stablecoin payment rails connecting its markets.

Yellow Card is simultaneously expanding its operations across Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region as it works to develop a broader global payments infrastructure.

For African businesses, particularly those engaged in international trade, the expansion could provide additional options for managing cross-border payments and accessing dollar-denominated financial infrastructure.

Stablecoins can offer businesses another mechanism for transferring value across borders, potentially reducing some of the delays and operational difficulties associated with conventional international payment systems.

Yellow Card has also continued to expand its regulatory footprint.

In June, the company secured regulatory AML affiliation in Switzerland as a supervised financial intermediary. The development gives banking partners and institutional clients a regulated point of access to Yellow Card’s stablecoin infrastructure across Africa and other international markets.

The company has also strengthened relationships with major global financial and payments companies, including Visa, Mastercard, Western Union, Thunes and MoneyGram.

Yellow Card was recently included on Fortune’s inaugural Crypto Innovators list, which recognised organisations contributing to the development of the global digital asset ecosystem through technology, infrastructure, security and adoption.

Oludimu said stablecoins are increasingly being considered beyond their role as a cryptocurrency product, with businesses examining their potential applications in payments, treasury management and international commerce.

“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.

She added that Yellow Card’s focus remained on developing the infrastructure responsibly while ensuring that African businesses participate in the expansion of the digital financial ecosystem.

For MSMEs operating across international markets, the development could be significant as faster and more flexible payment infrastructure becomes increasingly important to international trade and digital commerce.

However, businesses will also need to take into account regulatory requirements, currency risks, transaction costs and compliance obligations linked to digital asset-based payment systems.

Yellow Card said it would continue expanding its regulatory footprint, payment corridors and institutional partnerships as it develops its global stablecoin infrastructure.

Source: MSME Africa Online