ViFi Labs, a protocol at the intersection of foreign exchange (FX), stablecoins, and decentralized finance (DeFi), has officially acquired OneRamp, one of Africa’s leading crypto-to-fiat payment gateways. The move is expected to accelerate the adoption of on-chain FX trading and stablecoin-based payments, particularly in emerging markets such as Africa and Latin America.
This landmark acquisition reflects growing confidence in crypto’s real-world utility, and Africa is once again at the heart of it.
Bridging Stablecoins and Everyday Payments
OneRamp, founded with a mission to make spending crypto as simple as sending mobile money, has built a trusted platform that enables users to convert and spend stablecoins directly to mobile money wallets and bank accounts. Operating across Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, and Tanzania, OneRamp boasts a $1.2 million annualized run rate and has served over 25,000 customers to date.
“This isn’t just an acquisition, it’s validation that crypto infrastructure is already solving real problems in emerging markets,” said Elias Hezron, OneRamp’s founder. “We’re bridging the gap between complex stablecoins and everyday payments. Same great service, now with protocol-level infrastructure backing us.”
ViFi Labs: On-Chain FX for a New Global Market
ViFi Labs is building a fully on-chain foreign exchange protocol, combining deep DeFi liquidity with stablecoin rails to offer optimal FX rates at any volume. With the acquisition of OneRamp, ViFi gains direct access to a robust distribution network already operating in four African countries.
“OneRamp is a source of customer acquisition wherever the markets are being made,” said Tony Olendo, founder at ViFi Labs.
“Our missions are aligned, powering the next generation of stablecoin payments.”
The synergy is clear: ViFi provides the liquidity and protocol infrastructure; OneRamp offers the user-facing gateway and grassroots reach. Together, they aim to reshape how stablecoins are used for payments and FX globally.
Tapping Into a $540 Billion Market
ViFi’s expansion aligns with a major trend: institutional stablecoin adoption in Africa and Latin America is soaring, now estimated at $540 billion annually, with over 60% of this volume attributed to institutional use.
“Africa and LATAM are using crypto in a way that’s massive, useful, and impactful,” said ViFi Labs in their official announcement.
In regions plagued by volatile currencies and inefficient banking systems, stablecoins offer a secure, fast, and borderless alternative. Platforms like OneRamp make that promise tangible, delivering crypto liquidity directly into mobile money platforms used daily by millions.
Launching in the Base Super App Ecosystem
To further expand their reach, ViFi and OneRamp are launching within the new Base Super App ecosystem, a move that’s expected to give both platforms unprecedented visibility and distribution, both in Africa and globally.
“The Base ecosystem provides unparalleled distribution to put OneRamp front and centre to users locally and abroad,” said Jovan Mwesigwa, OneRamp’s co-founder.
ViFi emphasized that while their model remains platform-agnostic, it’s now Base-optimized, leveraging Base’s powerful infrastructure to reach more users while remaining blockchain-flexible.
What This Means for Africa
This acquisition is more than a corporate merger, it’s a statement. A signal that Africa is no longer just adopting crypto, but innovating with it. From mobile money integrations to DeFi-powered FX protocols, the continent is proving that Web3 infrastructure can meet real economic needs.
With the support of ViFi Labs, OneRamp is poised to scale further, capturing new users, integrating more stablecoins, and enabling seamless crypto-to-fiat payments for everyday use.
For the crypto community in Africa and beyond, this marks a pivotal moment:
“Ready to build the future together,” said Elias Hezron in his closing remarks.
TawkCrypto’s Take
At TawkCrypto, we’ve long tracked the rise of real-use-case crypto adoption in Africa , from P2P trading in Nigeria to cross-border payments in East Africa. The ViFi–OneRamp deal is not only strategic but transformational, showing that crypto projects with regional traction can attract protocol-level support to scale globally.
We’ll be watching closely as this new partnership unfolds, and as always, we’ll bring you the latest insights and analysis at TawkCrypto.com.
