For the past ten years, African merchants have faced serious challenges, not from competitors or inflation, but from the long wait for international payments. The “T+3” system means they must wait 3 days for transactions to settle. For example, if you are an importer in Nigeria wanting to pay a supplier in Shanghai, your Naira takes time to reach there, moving slowly through various banks, checks, and currency shortages.
Flutterwave quietly activated “Stablecoin Balances” for merchants on January 22, 2026, finally bringing an end to the long wait. They partnered with Turnkey, a crypto-security firm, and Nuvion, an AI-driven banking system. Together, they are creating a new way to handle cross-border trade without relying on traditional banking systems.
While official press releases are going out, the real proof of this change is not in the headlines but in the code. TechCabal confirmed today that the key evidence showing this system is live lies in a simple update to Flutterwave’s Help Centre. A new page titled “Stablecoin Transactions Best Practices” has appeared, serving as clear proof of the rollout.
This page guides merchants on setting up their “USDT/USDC balance,” creating wallet addresses, and funding their accounts. This is no longer just a promise for the future; the system is active, the infrastructure is ready, and the documentation is available for those who know where to find it.
This change is significant because it involves three major companies, each addressing a different part of the problem merchants face.
- Flutterwave: They provide an easy-to-use dashboard. Merchants in cities like Lagos or Nairobi will see a new balance added alongside their Naira and Dollar accounts.
- Turnkey: They ensure transaction security. Turnkey offers a secure wall for crypto wallets, keeping them safe while remaining user-friendly. They create many wallets for each merchant, without Flutterwave needing to store sensitive information.
- Nuvion (the unseen player): Nuvion operates quietly behind the scenes. They quickly and smoothly convert local currencies (such as Naira, Shillings, and Cedis) into digital currencies (such as USDC).
To see the real benefit of this new system, compare it with the old way:
The Old Way (T+3 Delay):
- The merchant collects Naira.
- They visit a bank to get Dollars (Wait time: Uncertain).
- They send money to China using SWIFT (Wait time: 2-3 days).
- Total Delay: Up to a week.
The New Way (Nuvion-Flutterwave System):
- The merchant receives Naira from a customer.
- The Nuvion system quickly converts this Naira into USDC within the Flutterwave app.
- The merchant sends USDC to their supplier in Shanghai.
- The supplier receives the USDC in seconds.
- Total Delay: About 15 Seconds.
This means merchants can make payments anytime, without delays that depend on banks having physical Dollars.
Flutterwave has hinted at this change for months, calling it “StableRails,” and now it has become a reality. With Turnkey’s security and Nuvion’s quick money conversion, Flutterwave believes that the key to successful trade in Africa is not finding more Dollars but digitising the ones they already have.
Now, when a merchant is waiting for a shipment, they don’t need to watch the news for changes. They just want to see a message pop up on their phone saying: “Payment Successful.” In 2026, that’s the only update that truly matters.
