Driving Global Payments With Stablecoins: MANSA’s Vision For Real-Time Cross-Border Settlements

In Brief

At Hack Seasons Singapore, Nkiru Uwaje of MANSA discussed how stablecoins are enabling real-time cross-border payments and shaping the future of digital finance.

At the beginning of October, the Hack Seasons Conference in Singapore brought together global leaders to discuss the latest trends in cryptocurrencies, blockchain, Web3, AI, and DePIN. Among the participants was Nkiru Uwaje, co-founder of MANSA, a global settlement platform, providing stablecoin liquidity to licensed payment companies worldwide, enabling real-time cross-border settlements.

In an exclusive interview, Nkiru Uwaje shared insights on the company’s progress, the evolving payments landscape, and the future of stablecoin adoption.

Driving Real-Time Payments In Emerging Markets

When asked about the real-world factors driving stablecoin adoption, Nkiru Uwaje emphasized the challenges faced by fintechs in emerging markets.

“We partner with many payment companies that operate in emerging markets, and we’ve found that similar dollar constraints make real-time settlement difficult. It’s also crucial that they maintain enough USDT on balance to leverage for instant payments across borders. We focus on settling for our clients, enabling payment companies to use stablecoin liquidity for faster, more efficient cross-border transactions. Many of these companies still require pre-funding in different regions, and we make real-time settlement possible for them.”

Banks, Crypto Platforms, And The Future Of Collaboration

With major players like Mastercard entering the stablecoin space, Nkiru Uwaje shared his perspective on how banks, cryptocurrency platforms, and specialized providers like MANSA will work together in the future.

“I always say that the payments ecosystem will not run on a single player alone. Synergy and collaboration across different payment companies are essential to provide the most valuable solutions for users and businesses. The future will involve both fiat and stablecoin-powered systems, integrated across key players—from Mastercard to banks to fintechs.”

Lessons Learned From Industry Giants

Nkiru Uwaje also reflected on the lessons MANSA has learned from working in traditional payment infrastructure and observing large incumbents like Mastercard.

“My background is in the payments space, working with some of the most important infrastructure in the world. The lessons I take from Mastercard are that much of the logic and infrastructure they built is still relevant today. The difference is we now have new technology, and it’s about combining the ethos of serving global users with modern solutions and decentralized infrastructure.”

Expanding Stablecoin Partnerships And Market Impact

When asked about recent developments signaling a new phase for stablecoin-powered payments, Nkiru Uwaje pointed to MANSA’s expanding global partnerships.

“We continue to collaborate with payment companies across the Philippines, Indonesia, Brazil, Latin America, and Africa. Exciting developments are on the horizon. So far, we’ve facilitated $150 million in payments, and in the coming months, we aim to double or triple that liquidity in the market. We’re scaling and deploying more stablecoin infrastructure to meet the growing demand for instant cross-border settlements.”