Cross-border payments in Africa have long been burdened by inefficiencies, high fees, and delays. Exporters, freelancers, and growing businesses often struggle to receive and send funds reliably, especially when dealing with international clients in multiple currencies. Cedar emerges as a modern solution built for today’s global economy, utilizing stablecoins to enable faster, cheaper, and more secure payments across borders.
Designed with emerging markets in mind, Cedar bridges blockchain technology and traditional finance to offer comprehensive financial infrastructure that solves dollar liquidity challenges, streamlines payments, and reduces barriers for international trade.
Key Takeaways
- Cedar supports cross-border payments in 130+ currencies, optimized for exporters and freelancers.
- The platform uses regulated stablecoins to ensure fast, low-cost transactions and settlement.
- Businesses can create custom virtual USD cards for procurement and expense tracking.
- Offers T+1 settlement for USD collections and local currency disbursements including NGN, KES, and XOF.
- Designed specifically to support Africa and other dollar-scarce markets.
Cross-Border African Export Business
Payment Reception in 130+ Currencies
African exporters have often been constrained by limited currency support and banking infrastructure that does not meet international standards. Cedar breaks these barriers by allowing businesses to receive payments in over 130 currencies globally. This feature enables exporters to engage confidently with clients across the globe, removing the limitations of local currency dependencies.
High transaction limits, up to $30 million per transaction, further empower exporters to handle bulk orders and large-scale trade deals without delay or regulatory bottlenecks.
Settlement Efficiency
Cedar’s platform offers T+1 settlement for USD collections. This means that once a transaction is initiated, the recipient receives the funds by the next business day. This level of efficiency provides exporters with predictable cash flow, essential for scaling operations and maintaining supply chain stability. By removing lengthy waiting periods and banking intermediaries, Cedar ensures quick liquidity for African exporters.
International Business Procurement
Virtual USD Cards for Teams
Procurement teams in international companies often face bottlenecks in making timely payments to overseas suppliers. Cedar solves this by allowing businesses to issue virtual USD cards for internal departments. These cards come with adjustable spending limits and are instantly usable across global platforms.
Whether used for inventory procurement, software subscriptions, or service payments, these cards offer the agility of global finance without the complexity of traditional banking.
Centralized Expense Management
Every transaction made using Cedar’s virtual cards is tracked in real-time. Businesses can manage spending by department, vendor, or geographic region through a centralized dashboard. This visibility allows financial controllers to maintain full oversight of international operations, enforce budgetary discipline, and reconcile accounts efficiently without spreadsheets or disjointed reports.
Multi-Currency Business Payouts
Currency Support for African Markets
One of Cedar’s core strengths is its direct support for local African currencies. Businesses can send high-volume payments to merchants or partners in NGN (Nigerian Naira), KES (Kenyan Shilling), and XOF (West African CFA Franc), among others. This multi-currency capability eliminates the need for expensive currency conversion through third-party providers.
It’s especially helpful for African enterprises that import goods, pay service providers, or distribute funds across multiple countries, removing the friction caused by traditional SWIFT-based methods.
Zero Setup Fees and Transparent FX
Unlike most banking platforms that impose hefty onboarding or maintenance fees, Cedar charges zero setup fees. The exchange rates provided are fully transparent and updated in real-time, enabling businesses to plan with clarity and avoid unexpected charges or hidden markups. Cedar’s user-first design focuses on reducing financial complexity and building trust across all transaction stages.
Global Freelancer Payment Solution
Preferred Currency Acceptance
Freelancers across Africa and other emerging economies often struggle to get paid in their local currencies without losing a significant portion of their income to fees. Cedar empowers freelancers by allowing them to receive payments in their preferred currency, whether it be USD, EUR, GBP, or their local tender.
This feature is particularly beneficial for those working with overseas clients on platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, or directly via contracts. It eliminates the need to convert funds multiple times and saves on remittance costs.
Enhanced Transaction Security
Cedar uses advanced encryption and authentication systems to secure every payment. It integrates with AML/KYC protocols to prevent fraud and offers secure account login with multi-factor authentication. This infrastructure ensures that freelancers receive their payments on time, every time, with zero compromise on privacy or compliance.
Cedar’s Stablecoin-Powered Infrastructure
Hybrid Blockchain and Traditional Rails
Cedar doesn’t rely exclusively on blockchain. Instead, it uses a hybrid model that combines the transparency and efficiency of blockchain settlement with the reliability of traditional banking rails. This hybrid approach makes it possible to operate in jurisdictions with evolving regulations and banking practices.
It also means that Cedar can support a wide variety of users — from highly technical Web3-savvy companies to conventional exporters just entering the digital payments space.
Stablecoin Advantages
Stablecoins like USDC and EURC power Cedar’s backend transactions. These regulated assets are pegged to fiat currencies, reducing volatility and increasing trust.
Using stablecoins, Cedar enables faster transfers compared to SWIFT, eliminates intermediary banks, and dramatically lowers costs. Stablecoins also enhance transparency since each transaction is recorded on-chain, providing immutable proof of transfer and enabling real-time auditing.
Targeting Emerging Markets
Focus on Africa and Dollar-Scarce Regions
Emerging markets face dollar shortages, high inflation, and regulatory delays that stall international payments. Cedar was built to solve these pain points by offering services specifically optimized for such markets. From exporters in Lagos to startups in Nairobi, Cedar enables access to global commerce without the historical financial barriers.
Its stablecoin-centric architecture is designed to meet the needs of dollar-scarce countries where fast USD access is essential but often unavailable due to capital controls or limited bank liquidity.
Local Currency Settlement Capabilities
Instead of requiring businesses to receive funds in USD only, Cedar gives users the flexibility to convert and settle in local currencies such as NGN, KES, and XOF. This not only reduces forex risks but also helps maintain liquidity in local ecosystems.
Exporters, merchants, and freelancers can now receive funds and spend them immediately in their domestic economy without costly or time-consuming conversion steps.
Trust and Credibility
Cedar is backed by reputable institutional investors like QED, North Island, and L2. These strategic partnerships underscore the platform’s commitment to regulatory compliance, operational excellence, and product innovation.
Cedar’s rapid growth and successful case studies across multiple African countries further validate its positioning as a reliable and scalable financial infrastructure.
Conclusion
Cedar represents a turning point for cross-border payments in emerging markets. By combining stablecoins, blockchain technology, and traditional financial rails, the platform provides exporters, freelancers, and global businesses with tools to thrive in an interconnected economy.
Whether it’s enabling an exporter to receive $30 million in trade settlements or helping a freelancer get paid in USD securely, Cedar is reshaping how global commerce interacts with developing regions. As the world moves toward faster, more inclusive financial systems, Cedar is well-positioned to lead this transformation.
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FAQ
1. What is T+1 settlement?
T+1 refers to “Transaction plus one day,” meaning funds are settled and available the next business day after the transaction is initiated. Cedar offers T+1 settlements for USD collections, making it faster than traditional banking timelines.
2. How does Cedar use stablecoins?
Cedar leverages regulated stablecoins such as USDC and EURC to power international transfers. These assets are pegged to fiat currencies, providing fast, secure, and low-cost transactions with real-time tracking.
3. Is Cedar only for African markets?
No, while Cedar is optimized for African and other emerging regions, it supports global payments in over 130 currencies and is suitable for exporters, freelancers, and international businesses worldwide.
4. Can I use Cedar if I’m a freelancer?
Absolutely. Cedar offers tailored solutions for freelancers, allowing them to receive global payments in their preferred currency with minimal fees and enhanced transaction security.
5. Are there any setup fees?
Cedar does not charge any setup or onboarding fees. The platform offers a transparent fee structure with competitive exchange rates and zero hidden charges.
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