Flutterwave has partnered with Tempo to expand stablecoin settlement options for cross-border payments across Africa. The integration will be used across the Send App and Flutterwave for Business, which handle remittances and enterprise payments across 34 African markets.
Flutterwave has processed $40B+ in payments over 30 markets across Africa and beyond.
Now, @theflutterwave is adding Tempo to its settlement infrastructure for upcoming stablecoin payments in its Send App for consumers and Flutterwave for Business. pic.twitter.com/p2SkXJ6WqD
— Tempo (@tempo) June 4, 2026
What is the Flutterwave and Tempo partnership about?
The goal is to improve how money moves across borders by reducing delays and lowering transaction costs. Once the system is live, users will be able to send and receive payments in stablecoins, with settlement in seconds rather than several days.
Flutterwave said the system will support wallet-to-wallet transfers and allow payments to move through different settlement routes depending on the corridor and user needs. This gives the company more flexibility in how it processes payments across different countries.
Why are cross-border payments in Africa still costly and slow?
The partnership comes as cross-border payments in Africa remain slow and expensive. Remittance fees to sub-Saharan Africa still average around 7 per cent, which is more than double the United Nations target of 3 per cent.
These costs are driven by traditional banking routes that rely on multiple intermediaries and foreign exchange conversions. This system can also delay settlement for several days, affecting both individuals and businesses that depend on quick access to funds.
By using stablecoins, Flutterwave and Tempo aim to reduce the number of steps involved in sending money. This helps lower costs, improve speed, and make payment flows more predictable for users across the continent.
How does this fit into wider stablecoin adoption in payments?
Flutterwave is not the only company moving in this direction. Payment firms and fintech platforms globally are increasingly testing stablecoin rails as an alternative to traditional banking systems.
Companies like Stripe and other global payment providers have also explored blockchain-based settlement tools to improve speed and reduce friction in cross-border transactions. In emerging markets, stablecoins are being used more often for remittances, merchant payments, and treasury management.
The Flutterwave and Tempo partnership reflects this wider shift toward multi-rail payment systems, where stablecoins operate alongside existing banking infrastructure instead of replacing it. Notably, Tempo introduced Tempo Transactions, a blockchain-native transaction framework designed to deliver enterprise-grade payment functionality for stablecoins, addressing structural limitations that have long constrained onchain payment systems.
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