Empire Quadrillions: How to Win the World | Chris Maurice
Jan 21, 2026
Chris Maurice, Co-founder and CEO of Yellow Card, dives into the transformative potential of stablecoins in Africa's financial landscape. He discusses the compliance infrastructure Yellow Card offers for over 50 currencies and the challenges emerging-market corporates face with dollar access. Maurice emphasizes the shift from Bitcoin to USDT for payments, driven by customer preferences, and explains how partnering with local banks can modernize payment systems. He also touches on the regulatory landscape and the future of institutional adoption in the region.
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Information Asymmetry Breaks Money Flows
- The root blockers are information asymmetry and infrastructure ill-suited to emerging markets.
- SWIFT and correspondent banking work for major economies but leave emerging markets on slow, costly 'dirt roads.'
Modernize Existing Last-Mile Infrastructure
- Work with existing last-mile providers (banks, telcos, mobile money) instead of recreating retail distribution.
- Modernize their infrastructure so remitters and wallets can deliver better, cheaper services at scale.
Stablecoins Replaced Bitcoin For Payments
- User demand shifted rapidly from Bitcoin to stablecoins once USD-pegged transfers became practical.
- Stablecoins removed volatility risk and became the preferred payments rail for transactional needs.