Qivalis Revolutionizes Global Trade Finance with Stablecoins

Finance Qivalis Revolutionizes Global Trade Finance with Stablecoins

CEO Jan-Oliver Sell highlights the shift of the entire trade finance supply chain towards stablecoins.

By Ian Allison|Edited by Stephen Alpher 19 minutes ago 3 min read

Qivalis, a euro-pegged stablecoin issuer, has successfully onboarded 37 banks across Europe in the past year and expanded its team from one to approximately 40 employees. The company is on the verge of obtaining an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license from the Dutch Central Bank (DNB) and aims to launch a regulated euro stablecoin by the end of next year.

The trade finance sector, which facilitates cash flow for businesses engaged in international trade, has been identified as an area ripe for digital transformation. Qivalis asserts that the integration of stablecoins is fundamentally altering this landscape.

Jan-Oliver Sell, the CEO of Qivalis, emphasized the significant impact stablecoins have had on cross-border transactions. He noted that discussions within the industry indicate a growing focus on trade finance in regions such as Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Furthermore, dedicated trade finance funds that offer financial instruments and purchase commodities are increasingly adopting stablecoin operations, minimizing the need to convert back to fiat currency.

Sell provided an example: “A supplier in East Africa is trading with someone in Kazakhstan, and everything is done using stablecoins without any off-ramping.” He explained that this accelerates collateral movement, transforming business models by enabling rapid collateral rotation from days to mere minutes.

Qivalis itself has undergone significant growth, evolving from a one-person operation to a team of about 40. The company is in the final stages of securing its EMI license in the Netherlands, with plans to launch its euro stablecoin by the end of this year.

Historically, blockchain companies like R3 and Hyperledger focused on digitizing the paperwork involved in transactions, such as letters of credit, but lacked the on-chain payment mechanisms. Sell pointed out that the advent of stablecoins with liquidity now addresses the payment aspect that was previously missing, leading to positive feedback from industry participants regarding its transformative effects on their businesses.

While the stablecoin market is predominantly filled with USD-pegged tokens, Sell noted that Europeans prefer not to rely on the U.S. dollar. He stated, “Neither will the Japanese or Koreans operate in U.S. dollars. They'd rather have Korean won or Japanese yen.” This suggests a future where multiple stablecoins will coexist, mirroring the dynamics of fiat currency flows.

Sell further commented on the implications of delays in U.S. legislation, such as the Clarity Act, which may benefit European institutions aware of their regulatory standing under the Markets in Crypto Assets framework. He remarked that U.S. bank-led stablecoin initiatives may lag behind Qivalis, which took three and a half years to reach its current stage, making it interesting to see how long it will take others to launch.

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As stablecoins move into regulated finance, APAC is becoming a key proving ground. This report maps the region’s rules, use cases, and RLUSD’s role.

Why it matters:

As stablecoins move into regulated finance, APAC is becoming a key proving ground. This report maps the region’s rules, use cases, and RLUSD’s role.