Chris Maurice | The $90 Bank Fee That Launched a $200M Crypto Company

On today’s Talking Tokens episode, Jacquelyn sat down with Chris Maurice, the co-founder and CEO of Yellow Card. Yellow Card powers on-and-off ramp payments for over 30,000 businesses across Africa. It was Africa’s most funded crypto exchange after raising $88 million. It has since pivoted from retail crypto access to becoming the stablecoin backbone for businesses in high-friction markets.

They discuss Chris’ journey from selling Bitcoin at Taco Bell to running a multi-country exchange, why he dropped everything to fly to Nigeria on a one-way ticket, and how Yellow Card helps banks, importers, and even local vendors access USD liquidity through stablecoins. Chris also dives into navigating fear-based narratives about emerging markets, why local strategy trumps global assumptions, and how the future of cross-border finance lies in rebuilding the broken correspondent banking system.

TIMESTAMPS:

(0:00) – Intro

(1:01) - From selling Bitcoin on eBay to founding Yellow Card

(5:53) - Meeting a Nigerian man changed everything

(8:56) - Why Chris flew to Nigeria with no visa and one goal

(11:00) - The origin of the name Yellow Card

(13:00) - Why Lagos changed Chris’s worldview

(15:09) - Misconceptions about emerging markets

(18:31) - Pivoting Yellow Card from exchange to stablecoin rails

(20:02) - How 99% of users switched to stablecoins

(22:12) - Why stablecoins matter more in Argentina than NYC

(23:13) - Replacing the broken cross-border banking system

(30:30) - Working with 30,000 businesses across Africa

(33:39) - Why localized strategy is key in Africa

(37:15) - Case studies: pharma, food, and banking

(40:04) - The future of Yellow Card and stablecoin infrastructure

(42:12) - Advice: stop waiting, just get started

You can subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple or YouTube. If you like the show, please let us know by leaving a review!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0LOgWxIQ0NnNUD5eXsSuoZ

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-tokens/id1743669141

Follow us on X: Jacquelyn: https://twitter.com/jacqmelinek Talking Tokens: https://twitter.com/_TalkingTokens Token Relations: https://twitter.com/Token_Relations

Follow us on Instagram

Talking Tokens: https://www.instagram.com/_talkingtokens/

Note that this podcast is for informational purposes only and any views shared by anyone on the show are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have a direct or indirect financial interest in content mentioned in this episode.