cryptobriefing.com
Ripple has invested in Flutterwave as part of its Series E fundraising round that lifted the valuation of Africa’s leading payments infrastructure company to $3.2 billion, according to a Tuesday press release.
The companies aim to advance Flutterwave’s stablecoin strategy by connecting Flutterwave’s growing cross-border settlement infrastructure with Ripple’s enterprise-grade blockchain and digital liquidity capabilities.
The partnership also targets strengthening Africa’s payments ecosystem, supporting Nigeria’s role in digital asset innovation, and expanding economic opportunities across the continent, according to the companies.
“Flutterwave has built one of the most advanced payments networks in Africa, and as its infrastructure evolves, stablecoins are becoming central to that story,” Reece Merrick, Managing Director of Ripple’s MEA region, said. “Our investment will establish $RLUSD within that infrastructure, with Flutterwave driving stablecoin flows over the XRPL and deepening its role as a settlement layer for real-world payments across the continent.”
Through the incorporation of $RLUSD into its ecosystem, Flutterwave is completing a stablecoin-first architecture that simplifies international payments and removes traditional operational bottlenecks. The platform will provide businesses with a scalable and compliant liquidity infrastructure that supports seamless participation in global commerce.
The partnership includes three core integrations. $RLUSD will serve as a primary settlement asset across Flutterwave’s payment rails and Send App remittance corridors. The $XRP Ledger (XRPL) will be used to accelerate transaction clearing, while a unified API will connect Flutterwave’s domestic payment network with Ripple Payments’ global infrastructure.
Merrick said the partnership will extend Ripple Payments’ capabilities into the region. The companies will combine traditional payment methods such as cards, bank transfers, and mobile wallets with enterprise blockchain technology to improve the speed, cost, and efficiency of cross-border transactions.
According to Flutterwave Founder and CEO Olugbenga “GB” Agboola, the investment is a key milestone that will help the company expand its infrastructure and accelerate its stablecoin payments roadmap.
“By unlocking faster settlement and lower-cost cross-border payments, we are building a payment superhighway that connects African commerce directly to the global economy. This partnership is a catalyst for Nigerian and African sovereignty in the digital financial age, ensuring our markets are primary participants in the global digital asset revolution,” Agboola stated.
Following the latest investment, Flutterwave has now raised over $500 million to date and handled more than $50 billion in transaction volume across over one billion transactions.