For years, dollar-denominated stablecoins have been pitched as an accessible way for people in emerging markets to preserve the value of their income in economies where local currencies lose value quickly. Freelancers often choose to get paid in stablecoins, giving them easier access to US dollars. Yet the biggest barrier has been the gap between how non-crypto-savvy clients pay (via traditional fiat rails) and how freelancers want to be paid (dollar-denominated digital currencies they can directly access). This mismatch has limited the real-world utility of stablecoins for the global gig economy.
To bridge this gap, Ruul, a global startup that lets freelancers invoice clients and receive payments in multiple currencies, has partnered with MiniPay, the Opera-owned stablecoin wallet built on the Celo blockchain. Powered by infrastructure provider Noah, the integration enables freelancers to invoice clients in dollars, euros, or other local currencies; collect payments via credit card, SEPA, or ACH; and receive funds directly in dollar-pegged stablecoins, credited instantly to their MiniPay wallet.
“We’re seeing unprecedented demand from freelancers in regions where local currencies are unstable,” said Mert Bulut, co-founder of Ruul. “This partnership with MiniPay enables us to serve freelancers globally—from Europe to the Americas to Asia—with particular impact in regions like Latin America, Africa, and APAC (Asia-Pacific), where opening international bank accounts is challenging and stable currency access is critical.”
The partnership creates what both companies describe as a payment flow that allows freelancers to issue invoices in traditional currencies while receiving payouts that convert automatically into dollar-denominated stablecoins. Sub-Saharan Africa, a region with the world’s highest self-employment rate, has historically been locked out of international banking, prompting fintechs to step in and bridge the gap to global financial access. The move could also be transformative for African freelancers, who often struggle to receive payments from legacy remittance companies, such as Western Union and MoneyGram.
Through MiniPay, Ruul users can receive their converted stablecoins instantly and, if they choose, cash out directly to mobile money platforms like M-PESA, without a foreign bank account. There are no hidden fees for virtual account receipts in most markets, and freelancers retain full control of their assets, with daily spending and withdrawals through the MiniPay wallet, according to the stablecoin payment company.
Major gig platforms such as Patreon, Gumroad, and Contra allow freelancers to sell digital services, sometimes with limited crypto payout options, but none offer a fully integrated system combining fiat-to-stablecoin invoicing, payment collection, and tax compliance. Ruul’s first-mover advantage may be temporary—regulators in markets like Nigeria are becoming focused on stablecoin oversight—but for now, it provides a rare, fully regulated bridge from global fiat rails to on-chain spending power.
As of November, MiniPay has over 10 million accounts across 60 countries, with Africa as a “key focus,” while Ruul operates in 190 markets. Together, both companies want to transform how freelancers get paid, especially in regions where traditional remittance rails are slow, costly, or unreliable. For African freelancers, a Ruul invoice now opens access to stable digital currencies that can be spent, saved, or sent instantly, bypassing local currency volatility.
“MiniPay’s mission has always been to democratise financial services for underserved communities,” said Murray Spark, head of commerce at MiniPay. “With our wallet operating in more than 60 countries, we chose Ruul because of their worldwide reach and compliance-first approach that makes USDT and other stablecoin transactions simple and trusted for freelancers everywhere.”
