ViFi Labs Acquires Uganda’s OneRamp to Power Stablecoin Payments across Africa and Latin America
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The phenomenal growth of digital technology has brought with it equally immense growth in virtual finance/financing (ViFi). Remarkably, Kenya happens to be among the great pioneers of digital payments or rather ViFi, through the legendary Mpesa money wallet that was developed and adapted in the country about 18 years ago this year. Consequently and undoubtedly, MPESA has today become a favorite cash transfer and sending platform not only in Kenya and eastern Africa but also on other parts of the world.
And in tandem with the vibrant and awesome growth in the sector, Virtual Finance laboratory (ViFi Labs), a decentralized stablecoin protocol building blockchain tools that make it easier and cheaper for businesses in emerging markets to exchange foreign currencies using stablecoins, and which has a decentralized protocol focused on foreign currency and stablecoin trading, has acquired OneRamp, a leading stablecoin payments platform serving emerging markets in Africa it was announced in Nairobi, Kenya on August 6th, 2025.
OneRamp enables users to make everyday payments. Founded by Ugandans Elias Hezron Opio and Jovan Mwesigwa, OneRamp simplifies stablecoin use by connecting crypto payments directly to mobile money and banking infrastructure.
The platform currently operates in Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, and Tanzania, serving over 25,000 users and generating an annual revenue run rate of k sh 154.8 million (M–at current exchange rates) ($1.2 M). The acquisition gives ViFi Labs immediate reach into key African markets and strengthens its ability to deliver practical, compliant crypto payment solutions.
“This acquisition is a significant milestone for ViFi Labs as we move from infrastructure development to real-world deployment. OneRamp gives us direct access to high-growth markets in Africa, where demand for stablecoin use is already proven. Together, we’re creating a bridge between institutional FX infrastructure and the everyday use of stablecoins by unlocking compliant, on-chain access to foreign exchange and payments at scale,” said Tony Olendo, Cofounder of ViFi Labs.
Across Africa and Latin America, stablecoin adoption continues to surge, with institutional usage exceeding K sh 69,930 billion (B) ($540 B) annually. However, limited FX trading infrastructure means much of this volume still flows through informal peer-to-peer (P2P) networks.
ViFi Labs is working to change that by building on-chain FX swap venues infrastructure that enables secure, transparent, and scalable trading of stablecoins.
“Joining forces with ViFi Labs allows us to supercharge our mission of making stablecoin payments accessible, simple, and secure for users across Africa,” said Elias Hezron, Cofounder of OneRamp. “This partnership gives OneRamp the infrastructure depth needed to scale sustainably while staying compliant. It’s a win for our users, a win for the region, and a big step forward for the future of decentralized finance in emerging markets.”
As part of its growth strategy, OneRamp is also expanding into the Base ecosystem, recently launched by Coinbase. The goal is to become the premier stablecoin payments provider in Africa within this ecosystem. “OneRamp will stay open to all platforms, but joining the Base ecosystem gives us an incredible opportunity to reach more users, both across Africa and globally. It puts us right where the demand is,” said Jovan Mwesigwa, Cofounder of OneRamp.
Notably, ViFi Labs connects local stablecoins with deep liquidity in decentralized finance (DeFi) to offer the best exchange rates, no matter the amount.
On the other hand, OneRamp enables users to spend their cryptocurrency in local currency through fast, seamless transactions. Operating in Africa across Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, and Tanzania, OneRamp serves over 25,000 customers with an annual transaction volume of K sh 155.4 million (M) ($1.2 million).
