Flutterwave Secures Circle Ventures Investment at $3.25bn Valuation
Pecohub Flutterwave has secured a strategic investment from Circle Ventures, the investment arm of New York Stock Exchange-listed Circle Internet Group, in a deal that values the African payments company at $3.25 billion and strengthens its expansion into stablecoin-powered cross-border payments.
The investment comes as Flutterwave scales the use of USD Coin (USDC) across its payments infrastructure, enabling businesses to settle transactions using the dollar-backed digital currency alongside existing payment methods. The company said the move is aimed at making cross-border payments faster, cheaper and more reliable for businesses operating across Africa.
Circle Ventures’ investment follows Flutterwave’s participation in the launch of the Circle Payments Network in 2025, deepening collaboration between the two companies as blockchain-based payment infrastructure gains wider adoption globally.
Flutterwave said it is embedding USDC settlement directly into the payment flows businesses already use on its platform. Merchants will be able to collect payments in local currencies while settling in USDC, reducing settlement delays and costs while enabling near-instant settlement beyond traditional banking hours.
The company said the development forms part of its strategy to build a multi-rail payments platform that combines traditional payment infrastructure with digital assets. Businesses will be able to settle transactions using bank transfers, cards, local payment methods or stablecoins depending on their operational needs.
Commenting on the investment, Flutterwave Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Olugbenga Agboola, said the partnership reflects the growing role of stablecoins in global commerce.
“This support from Circle Ventures is about backing the rails that will power the next era of global money movement from Africa. Stablecoins like USDC are no longer an experiment; they are becoming core financial infrastructure. By embedding USDC settlement into our existing payments infrastructure, we are building a system that lets businesses move money at the speed of the internet.
This fundamentally changes how payments from Africa connect to the world and positions Flutterwave as the default stablecoin gateway for the continent.”
Global stablecoin circulation has grown to more than $300 billion, with Africa emerging as one of the fastest-growing markets for adoption as businesses increasingly seek faster and lower-cost alternatives for international payments and settlement.
Founded in 2016, Flutterwave has evolved into one of Africa’s largest payments technology companies, providing businesses with a single application programming interface (API) to accept payments, make payouts and expand across African and international markets. The company has processed more than one billion transactions worth over $50 billion and today supports businesses ranging from global enterprises to African startups.
Its customer base includes multinational and African brands such as Uber, Air Peace, Bamboo and PiggyVest, while its infrastructure connects businesses to local and international cards, bank transfers, mobile money wallets and Google Pay across 34 African countries. Beyond enterprise payments, Flutterwave also operates Send App, its remittance platform that enables members of the African diaspora to send money seamlessly to recipients across the continent.
The latest investment underscores growing investor confidence in the infrastructure powering digital commerce across Africa. As businesses increasingly demand faster settlement and greater flexibility in moving money across borders, Flutterwave is positioning its platform to support both traditional payment rails and blockchain-based financial infrastructure, giving merchants more choice in how they collect, move and settle funds across global markets.
