Stanbic Bank Ghana And RD Technologies Explore Stablecoin Solution For Ghana-Asia Trade

Stanbic Bank Ghana and Hong Kong-based RD Technologies have announced they are working together to explore a bank-led cross-border trade settlement solution supported by stablecoin technology.

According to a report published by Manila Times on October 20, 2026, Stanbic Bank Ghana and RD Technologies today announced that they are working together to explore a bank-led cross-border trade settlement solution supported by stablecoin technology. The initial focus will be legitimate business-to-business payments from Ghanaian businesses to suppliers in Asia, with regulatory engagement, technical validation and pilot planning forming the next phase of work. For Ghanaian businesses paying suppliers in Asia, cross-border payments can involve multiple intermediaries, adding time, cost and complexity to settlement and payment tracking. The parties intend to assess how digital-asset settlement infrastructure can complement existing banking services to deliver a more efficient and transparent trade payment experience within the regulated banking system. Under the proposed model, Stanbic Bank Ghana would remain the customer-facing bank, responsible for customer onboarding and account opening, know-your-customer checks, transaction approval and local-currency settlement, together with the associated local compliance oversight.

According to a report published by Business Intelligence on October 20, 2026, RD Technologies would provide payment technology, digital-asset infrastructure and access to its Asian settlement network, coordinating overseas settlement. Stablecoin technology would support the underlying cross-border settlement process, while business customers would access the relevant banking services through Stanbic Bank Ghana. The announcement marks a shift from informal stablecoin use to a regulated, bank-led pilot.

According to a report published by TLDR Africa on October 20, 2026, under the proposed structure, Stanbic Bank Ghana will manage customer onboarding, KYC, and local fiat settlement, while RD Technologies provides the digital-asset settlement infrastructure. The initiative remains in an exploratory phase, requiring regulatory engagement, technical testing, and pilot planning before any launch. This initiative reflects institutional interest in Africa to leverage regulated stablecoins for reducing friction and costs on high-volume trade corridors with Asia. If regulatory approvals and pilot testing succeed, the bank-led compliance model could serve as a template for other commercial banks across Ghana and the broader region.

According to a report published by ITWeb Africa on October 20, 2026, Sub-Saharan Africa received more than $205 billion in on-chain value between July 2024 and June 2025, up 52% year-on-year, according to Chainalysis, with Ghana among the region’s five largest markets. Reliable and efficient payments are essential for Ghanaian businesses engaged in international trade. Through this collaboration, we aim to assess how new technology can help customers settle legitimate trade payments with suppliers in Asia more smoothly, said Darwin Mireku, head of strategy enablement at Stanbic Bank Ghana. Rita Liu, CEO of RD Technologies, added: This collaboration brings together Stanbic Bank Ghana’s domestic banking capabilities and RD Technologies’ digital-asset infrastructure and connectivity with Asian markets. Our shared objective is to explore a secure, compliant, and more efficient way for Ghanaian businesses to settle legitimate trade payments with suppliers in Asia.

This report is based on verified publications by Manila Times on October 20, 2026, Business Intelligence on October 20, 2026, TLDR Africa on October 20, 2026, and ITWeb Africa on October 20, 2026.

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