Kora Launches One Rail for Stablecoin Payments in Africa

Kora, a leading payment infrastructure provider in Africa, has launched One Rail, a new service that enables merchants to accept, hold, and settle payments using stablecoins. The service integrates with Kora’s existing API and developer tools, making it accessible even to teams without blockchain expertise.

One Rail addresses key challenges in African cross-border commerce, such as slow settlement times, high foreign exchange costs, and limited USD liquidity. By supporting stablecoins like USDT and USDC, Kora aims to reduce operational complexity and accelerate cross-border transactions. The service also allows merchants to convert stablecoin balances into local fiat currencies and settle payments directly into local bank accounts.

According to Dickson Nsofor, CEO and Founder of Kora, cross-border commerce in Africa faces high friction and remittance costs averaging 8-8.8%, compared to the global average of 6.49%. With stablecoin ownership in Africa now at 78%, Kora aims to provide the financial infrastructure needed to connect the continent to the global digital economy.

The initial rollout of One Rail focuses on merchant collection, payouts, and treasury capabilities, including wallet generation, payment confirmation, and manual settlement workflows. Kora plans to add more stablecoins based on demand and regulatory readiness.