Yellow Card, a leading pan-African stablecoin payment service provider, has announced its plans to discontinue retail services to focus exclusively on business clients.
According to the company, this decision was driven by growing demand from businesses seeking seamless cross-border payment and streamlined treasury management. Therefore, this shift will enable Yellow Card to leverage blockchain and stablecoin infrastructure, delivering improved payment, treasury, and liquidity solutions for corporate clients.
In an interview with TechCabal, John Colson, chief marketing officer of Yellow Card, noted that the decision ‘wasn’t a pivot from its mission’ to connect Africa to the world but a response to current market trends.
“Over the years, we’ve seen a drastic increase in demand from businesses seeking seamless cross-border payments and treasury management,” Colson said. “This clear market signal gave us the conviction to make this strategic decision.”
Key Dates for Retail Users
To ensure a smooth transition for its users, Yellow Card communicated the new decision via email on October 29, 2025. Below are the key timelines that were stated.
- October 29, 2025 – Initial Notification
The company informed customers of the discontinuation of its retail services and opened a withdrawal window for clients.
- November 1, 2025 – Zero-Balance Accounts Notification
The company separately notified users with zero balance that their accounts would be deactivated the following day.
- December 31, 2025 – Withdrawal Deadline
The withdrawal window would lapse on this date, after which funds will no longer be accessible on the mobile app.
- January 1, 2026 – Full Transition to B2B Services
From this date, Yellow Card will operate exclusively as a B2B stablecoin infrastructure provider. Any unclaimed funds after the December 31 deadline will be locked and can only be retrieved through a secure, proof-of-ownership web process at a later date to be communicated.
Yellow Card’s Strategic Shift to Business Clients
In an earlier TechCrunch interview, CEO and co-founder Chris Maurice revealed that after reaching one million retail users, the company found the retail model almost unsustainable due to the high cost of maintenance and thin volume margin, which was disproportionate to costs.
He added that the company recognized that ‘the real users who benefit the most from the technology are businesses,’ prompting the need for a shift in focus and strategy.
“The big shift for us has been our focus on working predominantly with businesses now”.
Existing Partnerships and Expansion Plans
Yellow Card has partnered with key institutions in recent times, some of which would help ease its transition plan. In June, Yellow Card partnered with Visa to expand its footprint beyond Africa and into Latin America.
Notably, the company, alongside other crypto service providers in the region and beyond, joined the Circle Payment Network (CPN) earlier in the year. The decision to partake in an initiative hosted by Circle, a global leader in stablecoin technology, further signals targeted efforts towards global institutional expansion.
This evolution into B2B services will introduce a range of services, including stablecoin payment infrastructure, fiat settlement rails, custody wallet services, and localized stablecoin issuance.
The Transition: What Lies Ahead
The regional stablecoin infrastructure provider operates in over 34 African countries and currently serves more than 30,000 businesses worldwide, facilitating cross-border payments and treasury management primarily through stablecoins.
The company has emphasized that this pivot is not a departure from its mission to connect Africa to the world. Rather, it represents a strategic refocus aimed at enhancing financial systems for consumers by leveraging institution-focused solutions to create more efficient and scalable payment infrastructures.
“The way business and personal use blend together on the continent creates a very different dynamic, making our approach relevant for both groups,” noted Maurice.
Yellow Card’s decision to transition exclusively to offering its services to enterprises and business clients mirrors a growing trend across regional and global blockchain, crypto, and fintech institutions to drive institutional adoption of blockchain infrastructure.
