Daya Raises $2.4 Million to Build Stablecoin Payment Rails for African Businesses
Nigerian fintech startup Daya announced on June 25, 2026, that it had raised $2.4 million in an oversubscribed pre seed funding round to accelerate the development of a stablecoin powered payment platform designed to simplify cross border transactions for African businesses. The round was led by Hivemind Capital, with participation from Lattice Fund, Alliance DAO, Globelink Investment, and the Aptos Foundation.
The new funding will support Daya’s mission of building what the company describes as a financial operating layer for African businesses. A platform that combines stablecoin settlement, multi currency accounts, treasury management tools, fiat on ramps and off ramps, and compliance infrastructure into a single solution for companies trading across borders.
Founded in 2025 by Nigerian entrepreneurs Aleph Lasebikan and Paul Joe, Daya is addressing one of the biggest operational challenges facing African businesses: moving money quickly, affordably, and reliably across multiple countries and currencies. While digital commerce continues to grow throughout Africa, cross border payments remain expensive, slow, and heavily dependent on fragmented banking systems.
Businesses importing goods, exporting products, paying international suppliers, hiring remote workers, or receiving payments from overseas customers often encounter high transaction fees, lengthy settlement periods, multiple currency conversions, and regulatory complexities. Daya believes stablecoin technology can significantly reduce these inefficiencies while making international business more accessible for African companies.
Unlike traditional payment systems that rely on several intermediary banks before transactions are completed, stablecoin powered infrastructure enables funds to move more efficiently through blockchain networks while maintaining a value that is generally pegged to major fiat currencies such as the U.S. dollar. This allows businesses to benefit from faster settlement times without the price volatility commonly associated with cryptocurrencies.
According to the company, the platform enables businesses to receive payments in stablecoins, convert funds into local currencies when required, manage treasury operations across different markets, and remain compliant with regulatory requirements through integrated compliance tools. The company said the latest investment will accelerate product development, expand its compliance infrastructure, and strengthen partnerships with financial institutions across Africa.
The funding comes at a time when stablecoins are becoming increasingly important within Africa’s financial technology sector. As cross border trade expands under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and more African businesses serve international customers, demand continues to grow for payment infrastructure capable of supporting faster and lower-cost international transactions.
The company said it plans to use the new capital to deepen its product capabilities, strengthen regulatory compliance, expand partnerships with financial institutions, and accelerate the rollout of its stablecoin powered payment platform across African markets.
Daya’s latest funding round represents another example of how African entrepreneurs are developing technology to solve structural business challenges while attracting international investors. As the continent’s digital economy continues to mature, infrastructure focused startups are expected to play an increasingly important role in enabling faster trade, greater financial inclusion, and more seamless cross border commerce for businesses of all sizes.