Ripple acquires stake in Flutterwave, boosts African payments

Ripple acquired a stake in Flutterwave, valuing it at up to $3.3B. The deal integrates RLUSD stablecoin and XRP Ledger to enhance cross-border payments in Africa.

Ripple has acquired an equity stake in Flutterwave, a leading African fintech startup, through its Series E funding round. This investment values Flutterwave between $3.2 billion and $3.3 billion. The move aims to accelerate Flutterwave’s growth by expanding its payments infrastructure and fostering strategic partnerships across Africa. As part of the agreement, Flutterwave will integrate Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin and the XRP Ledger network into its payments and remittance systems. This integration will enable faster, more cost-effective cross-border transactions throughout the continent. The partnership includes embedding RLUSD into payment rails, utilizing the XRP Ledger for transaction settlement, and deploying a unified API connecting Flutterwave’s domestic network with Ripple Payments. The specific investment amount and Ripple’s stake size remain undisclosed. This collaboration seeks to address cross-border payment challenges in Africa and strengthen both companies’ roles in the region’s digital finance ecosystem.