NALA, a pan-African payments company operating in 18 countries, has teamed up with UK-based payments infrastructure provider Noah to launch a new cross-border settlement network linking Africa and Asia.
The network will allow businesses in emerging markets to accept payments in stablecoins and convert them instantly into local currencies, cutting down the time and cost of moving money across borders.
Noah, a payment infrastructure for global money movement is dedicated to revolutionizing International money transfers and catalyzing the widespread adoption of Stablecoins.
With Noah’s global USD collection and NALA’s licensed stablecoin on- and off-ramps, companies can:
• Collect USD anywhere
• Settle instantly in stablecoins
• Pay out locally in minutes
• Run 24/7 cross-border treasury — fully compliant.
No more trapped liquidity. No more slow correspondent banks.
Commenting on the partnership via a post on linkedin, NALA CEO and Founder Benjamin Fernandes said,
“We continue going all-in on stablecoins for real-world payments. Today, NALA + Noah are launching an instant stablecoin settlement network for emerging markets. For too long, stablecoins promised speed but real businesses were still stuck waiting days to move money because the infrastructure wasn’t there.
“With Noah’s global USD collection and NALA’s licensed stablecoin on- and off-ramps, companies can Collect USD anywhere, Settle instantly in stablecoins, Pay out locally in minutes, Run 24/7 cross-border treasury fully compliant. This is what happens when stablecoins meet real regulation, real liquidity, and real distribution across Africa and Asia.”
Also speaking on the partnership, Shah Ramezani, Founder and CEO of Noah said,
“For years, emerging markets have been underserved by global payment infrastructure that was never designed for its scale, speed, or realities. This partnership with NALA is about building a new payment network that removes structural friction, restores trust in settlement, and gives businesses and consumers reliable access to global money movement. Stablecoins are not the story on their own – they are the rail that finally makes instant, compliant USD settlement possible at scale.”
Building on debut of its B2B payments platform, Rafiki, NALA is deepening its stablecoin payment rails, aiming to speed up dollar flows into emerging markets where SMEs face delays and high costs moving money.
The new network, integrated into Rafiki, will allow global firms operating in Africa and Asia to collect funds in US dollars and pay out local currencies within minutes, using stablecoins as a settlement layer.
For decades, cross-border payments into Africa and Asia have been fundamentally broken and the impact has been massive.
Some of these include;
1. Slow settlement (3–5 days or more)
Money moves through multiple correspondent banks, each adding friction, manual checks, and delays. For businesses, this kills cash flow. For families relying on remittances, it creates uncertainty and hardship.
2. High remittance costs (~9%)
Sending $100 can cost $7–$9 in fees. That’s not just expensive, it’s extractive. Billions of dollars are lost every year by people who can least afford it, simply because of outdated rails and lack of competition.
3. Trapped liquidity
Banks and payment providers must pre-fund accounts in multiple countries to enable transactions. This locks up capital that could otherwise be invested, lent, or used to grow businesses.
4. FX leakage everywhere
Opaque exchange rates, hidden markups, and multiple conversions mean users rarely get the real value of their money. This silent tax compounds across borders.
With Noah and NALA partnership, Global businesses across Africa and Asia can now collect USD and pay out local currency in minutes, not days, without relying on correspondent banking rails built for another era.
This partnership brings together global USD collection, instant settlement, and licensed local payouts to unlock real access to dollars at scale.
Notably, as stablecoins become more regulated and widely adopted, they are increasingly being positioned not as speculative assets but as neutral settlement layers for global commerce.
