In a move set to disrupt the high-cost remittance corridors of Sub-Saharan Africa, UK-based payments infrastructure provider Noah and Pan-African fintech NALA have officially launched a strategic stablecoin settlement network.

The partnership aims to replace the aging correspondent banking system with programmatic blockchain rails, allowing global businesses to move money into Africa and Asia in minutes rather than days.

For decades, sending money to Sub-Saharan Africa has remained the most expensive financial transaction globally, with average fees hovering around 8.16% to 9%. By utilizing stablecoins (digital assets pegged to the US Dollar) as a backend settlement layer, the Noah-NALA network slashes these costs while eliminating the traditional 3–5 day waiting period for funds to clear.

Under the new framework:

• Noah provides regulated USD virtual accounts, allowing businesses to collect funds via standard bank transfers.

• Real-time Conversion: These funds are instantly converted into stablecoins, with Noah managing all identity verification and compliance at the point of entry.

• NALA’s "Rafiki" Engine: The settled value is then pushed through NALA’s B2B infrastructure API, Rafiki, which connects directly to local banks and mobile money networks across 18 countries.

Solving the Liquidity Crisis

The primary target of this collaboration is the estimated $850 billion annual liquidity gap that plagues small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in emerging markets. When capital is "trapped" in transit for a week, businesses struggle with payroll and inventory.

"Stablecoins are not the story on their own—they are the rail that finally makes instant, compliant USD settlement possible at scale," said Shah Ramezani, Founder and CEO of Noah. "This partnership removes structural friction and restores trust in settlement for regions that have been underserved for a century."

A Shift Toward B2B Infrastructure

The launch signals a significant pivot for NALA, which originally gained fame as a consumer-facing remittance app. Since launching its Rafiki B2B platform in 2024, the company has seen transaction volumes explode from zero to $1 billion in just 18 months.

By integrating with Noah, NALA now offers global account usage, enabling a company in London or New York to pay a freelancer in Lagos or a supplier in Dar es Salaam as if they were in the same city.

SOURCE: AGENCIES