Flutterwave Founder and CEO, Olugbenga ‘GB’ Agboola, has declared that stablecoins represent a fundamental upgrade to Africa’s cross-border payment infrastructure. He emphasized that companies with existing local distribution and compliance depth are best positioned to leverage this shift, turning digital assets into usable, real-world value.
Agboola shared these insights during two significant engagements at Money 20/20 Europe in Amsterdam. He participated in a fireside chat titled “Building the Rails: Stablecoin Architecture from Lagos to London,” alongside Dima Kats, Founder and Group Executive Chair of Clear Junction.
Directly addressing Flutterwave’s strategic position, Agboola clarified that stablecoins are not a standalone product but a faster settlement layer integrated with the company’s existing payout infrastructure. For businesses managing treasury across African markets, he highlighted stablecoins as a crucial liquidity and FX management tool that operates even when traditional banking systems are closed. “Stablecoin is completely different because money moves at the speed of the internet, not at the speed of banks closing up their house. If you pay with stablecoin, you get that money instantly,” he stated.
Regarding the potential obsolescence of infrastructure intermediaries, Agboola asserted that while wallet-to-wallet token transfers are simple, the complexities of legal compliance, anti-money laundering (AML) laws, and last-mile payouts into local bank accounts across various jurisdictions make Flutterwave’s infrastructure indispensable.
Agboola also reflected on Flutterwave’s 10th anniversary, outlining the company’s trajectory. He noted that the past decade focused on connecting Africa’s fragmented payment infrastructure via a single API, while the next decade will see Flutterwave evolve into the continent’s financial operating system. The recent acquisition of a microfinance banking license in Nigeria marks a significant structural shift from a “money in transit” provider to a foundational infrastructure player, aiming to systematically reduce friction, enhance network reliability, and unlock new ecosystem verticals.
This evolution aligns with Flutterwave’s objective of building a multi-rail infrastructure where stablecoins and fiat rails operate seamlessly to support Africa’s growth. To bolster the cross-border capabilities of this financial operating system, Flutterwave is expanding its network of global digital asset partnerships, including collaborations with Circle, Polygon, Fireblocks Flow, Nuvion, and Tempo. This ecosystem is being positioned as Africa’s largest regulated stablecoin infrastructure.
