Cross-Border Payment Challenges for High-Risk Businesses in Colombia: Stablecoin Solutions Explained

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Jul 26, 2025

Jul 26, 2025

For businesses in high-risk sectors like iGaming, cryptocurrency, and export-driven industries, sending and receiving cross-border payments in Colombia is far from simple. Persistent delays, high fees, and compliance demands lead many companies to search for alternatives that improve reliability and cost. According to Mural Pay, over 41% of Colombian merchants reported at least one delayed or failed international payment in the past year. The rise of stablecoin payments infrastructure—as offered by Mural Pay—is opening new doors to instant, compliant, and cost-effective transactions.

With digital fraud now surpassing physical fraud in Latin America, secure and innovative payment solutions are urgently needed.

This article will explore the core challenges, practical solutions, and future outlook for high-risk Colombian businesses navigating the world of cross-border payments.

  • High-risk Colombian sectors struggle with delayed wires, high fees, and strict compliance checks.

  • Stablecoins cut settlement times to minutes and reduce fees to as low as 1–3%.

  • Regulators still require robust KYC/AML programs and transaction monitoring.

  • Case studies show up to 60% savings and faster treasury cycles after switching to stablecoins.

  • Mural Pay offers API-first tools for batch payouts, FX conversion, and real-time tracking.

The Unique Payment Obstacles Facing High-Risk Businesses in Colombia

High-risk businesses in Colombia—including iGaming, adult entertainment, crypto enterprises, and export-focused SMEs—face an array of hurdles when moving money internationally. These sectors often encounter banking restrictions and regulatory hurdles. Traditional banking partners frequently apply extra scrutiny, impose higher fees, or even deny services outright due to perceived risks.

A 2023 LexisNexis study found that 65% of Colombian companies reported an increase in fraud over the previous year, with digital channels accounting for 51% of losses.

Each lost peso to fraud brings an average additional cost of $3.76 (risk.lexisnexis.com).

Fraud has also affected customer satisfaction (80%) and conversion rates (82%) among Colombian companies.

For a closer look at these issues, see payment challenges for Colombian merchants.

Why Traditional Payment Methods Fall Short for High-Risk Sectors

Traditional cross-border payment options—such as wire transfers and legacy PSPs—are slow, expensive, and unpredictable, especially for companies considered high-risk. These wires are most likely to be restricted or delayed for sectors banks view as risky, leading to unpredictable cash flow.

The table below highlights key differences among payment methods:


Wire Transfers

PSPs (Fintech Platforms)

Stablecoins (USDC, USDT, etc.)

Settlement Time

2–5 business days

1–2 business days

Minutes

Average Fees

~5.9% (plus FX fees)

2–4%

1–3%

Failure/Delay Rate

41% of merchants report issues

Lower, but varies

Significantly lower

Transparency

Limited

Moderate

High (blockchain ledger)

Accessibility

Restrictive for high-risk sectors

Variable

Inclusive, digital-first

Performance of PSPs may vary widely depending on the business model and region.

In 2023, Colombian companies processed more than $13 billion in cross-border payments, but 41% experienced at least one delayed or failed international payment.

For a deeper dive into these tradeoffs, see this comparison of payment methods.

How Stablecoin Solutions Transform Cross-Border Payments

Stablecoins—such as USDC and USDT—are changing international payments for Colombian businesses by providing near-instant settlements, lower fees, and full transaction transparency. These benefits are essential for high-risk sectors.

Key advantages of stablecoin solutions:

  • Speed: Settlements in minutes rather than days.

  • Cost: Fees typically range between 1–3%, lower than traditional methods.

  • Transparency: Blockchain records each transaction for auditability.

  • Financial Inclusion: Empowers businesses and individuals without traditional banking to participate.

  • Stablecoins also help exporters by avoiding costly multi-currency conversion fees.

When a Latin American logistics company switched to stablecoin settlements, they reduced cross-border payment fees from 4% to less than 1% and cut settlement times from several days to under one hour (Phemex Academy, 2025).

Other platforms like dLocal support stablecoin payments for businesses across LATAM.

For more on adoption trends, see stablecoin adoption in Colombia.

Regulatory and Compliance Realities: What Every High-Risk Business Needs to Know

For any business using stablecoin payments, compliance is essential. Colombian regulators require adherence to KYC, AML, and transaction monitoring for all PSPs and fintechs. Every cross-border transaction is reported to the Central Bank, and data protection standards must be maintained.

Authorities have increased scrutiny, flagging 15% of LATAM crypto firms for potential AML issues.

In 2024, the Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia launched a regulatory sandbox, allowing fintechs to pilot crypto-related services under supervision.

Colombia’s tax rules require some stablecoin transactions to be reported as taxable asset sales.

Catalina Gutiérrez, Director of the Fintech Colombia Association, notes, "Regulatory clarity and compliance are the top challenges for batch payment adoption among Colombian fintechs" (muralpay.com, 2025). Regulatory lapses can lead to fines, reputational harm, or banking relationship loss.

For practical guidance, review these cross-border payment compliance tips.

Overcoming Integration and Operational Challenges with Stablecoins

Implementing stablecoin payments isn’t just about technology—it’s about aligning compliance, operations, and choosing the right partner. Here’s a step-by-step approach Colombian businesses use to integrate these solutions:

  1. Select an API-Ready Platform: Choose a provider like Mural Pay that supports batch payouts, compliance, and reporting.

  2. Complete KYC/AML Onboarding: Meet local and international verification requirements.

  3. Integrate Digital Wallets: Enable both fiat and digital payments.

  4. Monitor and Report Transactions: Use compliance tools to track and report.

  5. Test and Iterate: Use regulatory sandbox environments for safe piloting.

Sandbox environments are available to reduce integration risk for new fintech solutions.

Integration isn’t just about international API standards—it requires adapting to Colombian compliance and banking infrastructure.
— Joan Rodríguez, CTO of Konvex (Colombia Fintech Summit, 2024)

For details on technical best practices, see best practices for stablecoin-to-fiat API integration in Colombia.

Virtual USD Accounts: An Extra Layer of Flexibility

For many Colombian exporters and fintechs, holding funds in dollars without opening a U.S. entity is a game-changer. Virtual USD or EUR accounts let companies collect, store, and convert foreign revenue while hedging against peso volatility.

When paired with a stablecoin API for compliant payouts, these accounts create a smooth bridge between on-chain liquidity and local bank rails—reducing FX spreads and giving finance teams tighter control over treasury management.

Real-World Proof: Case Studies of Stablecoins in Action

Stablecoins’ impact is clear in real business results. A Bogotá-based exporter, after switching from traditional bank transfers to stablecoin payments, saved over 60% in transaction costs and achieved faster, more reliable settlements (Portafolio, 2024).

A global payroll provider serving employees in Colombia and Peru found that stablecoin payments enabled staff to receive local currency within minutes, compared to days via wires, and gained full transaction transparency (Blocktelegraph, 2024).

TransFi enabled audited, compliant stablecoin transactions for millions in cross-border volume.

For more examples of batch payouts, see batch stablecoin payouts.

Expert Insights: What’s Next for High-Risk Payments in Colombia?

Industry leaders and regulators agree: stablecoins are shaping the future of cross-border payments for high-risk sectors. Open finance reforms are making Colombia a fintech innovation hub for compliant digital payments.

Ana María Prieto of the SFC notes, "Colombia’s open finance policy is designed to balance innovation with consumer protection, so fintechs can scale responsibly." Statista reports that Colombia now ranks fifth in crypto adoption across Latin America (Statista, 2024).

Successful integration means meeting international standards—while adapting to Colombia’s technical and legal landscape.

With stablecoins steadily integrating into mainstream finance, Chris Colson of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta predicts, "The traditional wire transfer may soon be relegated to a niche role."

For strategies on cost savings, see how Colombian fintechs can save on international payments using stablecoins.

Key Takeaways: Navigating the Future of Cross-Border Payments in Colombia

The path forward for high-risk businesses in Colombia is clear: embracing stablecoin payments offers faster settlements, reduced costs, and strong compliance in a challenging regulatory environment.

By leveraging a modern stablecoin payments infrastructure, companies can gain a crucial edge while meeting the demands of both global commerce and local regulation.

Reviewing a compliance checklist or operational guide, like those in the Mural Pay blog, can help streamline adoption.

For those ready to take the next step, platforms like Mural Pay are setting the standard for secure, efficient, and compliant cross-border transactions.

Want to explore whether stablecoins fit your payment strategy? Talk to the Mural Pay team to see a live demo or activate a sandbox account in minutes.

FAQ

1. Are stablecoin payments legal for high-risk businesses in Colombia?

Yes. Stablecoin transactions are permitted as long as firms adhere to Colombia’s KYC, AML, and tax reporting requirements. Working with a regulated provider reduces compliance gaps.

2. How quickly can funds be converted from USDC or USDT to Colombian pesos?

Conversion typically happens in a matter of minutes once a payout is executed. Local rails and blockchain confirmation speed contribute to near-real-time settlement.

3. Do I need a U.S. bank account to open virtual USD accounts?

No. Providers like Mural Pay offer named virtual accounts that allow Colombian businesses to collect and hold dollars without setting up a U.S. entity.

4. What’s the maximum number of recipients I can include in stablecoin payouts?

With batch functionality, finance teams can pay 100-plus recipients in a single upload, drastically reducing manual effort and processing costs.

References

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Stablecoin Payments Infrastructure for the Americas

A modern platform and API for pay-ins, payouts, invoicing, virtual accounts, and compliance—powered by stablecoins and built for global businesses across the Americas.

Stablecoin Payments Infrastructure for the Americas

A modern platform and API for pay-ins, payouts, invoicing, virtual accounts, and compliance—powered by stablecoins and built for global businesses across the Americas.

Stablecoin Payments Infrastructure for the Americas

A modern platform and API for pay-ins, payouts, invoicing, virtual accounts, and compliance—powered by stablecoins and built for global businesses across the Americas.