Stellar Partners with Fonbnk to Transform SIM Cards into Virtual Debit Cards—XLM to Drive Financial Inclusion in Africa

• Fonbnk and Stellar partner to convert prepaid SIM cards into virtual debit cards, enabling financial inclusion for millions in Africa.

• The platform allows users to exchange airtime for USDC on Stellar, providing access to global financial services and cash conversion.

Fonbnk, a fintech company, is addressing the financial accessibility gap in Africa by turning prepaid SIM cards into digital debit cards. With 350 million people being unbanked in Africa and only 20% of families using formal banks, Fonbnk’s solution is not only unique but also relevant. With the integration of the Stellar blockchain, Fonbnk allows users to redeem airtime for USDC and access the world of financial services.

350 million people in Africa don’t have access to bank accounts, and only 20% of families have formal bank accounts.@fonbnk1 provides a real-world solution to this problem by turning 8 billion active prepaid SIM cards globally into virtual debit cards with Stellar.

Here’s how…

— Stellar (@StellarOrg) December 30, 2024

The platform takes advantage of the high penetrance rate of prepaid SIM cards in the continent. Fonbnk, with over 8 billion active prepaid SIM cards worldwide, connects these phone accounts into a financial interface so that users can engage in the digital economy.

Fonbnk’s CEO, Chris Duffus, emphasized the potential of their solution, stating,

“In many new markets where traditional financial services have given up, solutions like ours, combined with Stellar, can help billions join the digital financial world.”

Seamless Conversion of Airtime to USDC

Fonbnk’s process is very straightforward and efficient. Customers load their Fonbnk wallets with their money or prepaid airtime, and the airtime is expressed in USDC on Stellar. Every airtime credit is equivalent to $0.01 of USDC, thus making the conversion easy. As a USDC holder, one can buy goods and services, gain access to services, or buy cheap airtime credits. To access cash, USDC can be swapped back through the Stellar anchors.

The integration with the Stellar network broadens Fonbnk’s application. The company offers low and no-code tools for ease of use to non-technical users. These include:

• PayWidget: A non-custodial web dApp that allows for the easy adoption of the Stellar network into existing financial streams. It can facilitate movement from airtime to bank transfer without any difficulty.
• TopUp Widget: This tool allows customers to purchase airtime and send and receive mobile money without float balances. The customer’s wallet balances in USDC facilitate all transactions.
• Instant Merchant Widget: Businesses can utilize this widget to accept USDC payments from merchants, offer customers the option to pay with airtime, and conduct transactions on mobile and web interfaces.

Stellar Lumens price analysis

Stellar Lumens (XLM) has been on the back foot recently, losing almost half of its value from the November peak. However, many technical signals and market conditions indicate a potential revival of cryptocurrency in the near future.

The XLM/USD is in the falling wedge structure, which is considered the reversal pattern. This pattern started in December when Stellar was traded at $0.600. The upper trendline links the highs of December 2, 17, and 24, while the lower trendline links the lows of December 3, 9, and 20.

As these lines converge, the chances of a breakout rise. Should a breakout happen, analysts believe the initial target will be $0.500, about 50% above the current price.

Support for this prediction stems from Fibonacci Retracement levels. The 61.8% level at $0.2970 is anticipated as a potential bottom for XLM, supported by a Relative Strength Index (RSI) nearing oversold territory. This convergence of technical signals points to a possible rebound in January. As of this writing, XLM is trading at $0.33, registering a 1.45% decline in the last 24 hours.

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