Superteam Demo Day: Xelio (João Vasco Martins)

A Portuguese fintech founder is on a mission to make banking accessible to billions of unbanked and underbanked people across emerging markets—and he's doing it through the apps they already use every day: SMS and WhatsApp.

Summary

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João Vasco Martins took the stage at Breakpoint 2025's Superteam Demo Day to introduce Xelio, a financial operating system designed to solve a critical problem facing crypto earners in developing nations. For millions of workers receiving payment in stablecoins—particularly in countries like Nigeria—the path from digital assets to daily usable funds is plagued by fragmented tools, compliance hurdles, and poor infrastructure.

Xelio's solution represents a fundamental rethinking of how people in emerging markets interact with their money. Rather than requiring users to download specialized crypto apps or navigate complex exchanges, the platform meets users where they already are: on WhatsApp and through basic SMS functionality. This approach removes the internet connectivity barrier that has long excluded rural and underserved populations from participating in the digital economy.

The company launched two flagship products earlier this year. The SMS bank creates a Solana wallet accessible to anyone with a basic mobile phone, enabling transactions and payments without requiring internet access. The WhatsApp bank builds on this foundation, delivering full neobank functionality through the world's most popular messaging platform. Together, these products form what Martins describes as a complete financial operating system—not just an app, but an entire ecosystem enabling payments, bill management, rent, and investment services.

Perhaps most significantly, Xelio announced a partnership with Solstice to bring USX, a yield-bearing stablecoin, to every wallet in emerging markets. This collaboration promises to "completely disrupt" how underserved populations save money, offering yield opportunities previously inaccessible to those without traditional banking relationships.

Key Points:

The Emerging Market Banking Crisis

The problem Xelio addresses is both massive and underappreciated in developed nations. When workers in countries like Nigeria receive payment in stablecoins, they face a fragmented technological landscape with no interoperability between platforms. Managing crypto earnings requires juggling multiple applications, navigating complex compliance requirements, and often accepting unfavorable exchange rates or fees.

This isn't a niche concern—Nigeria represents Xelio's largest market, a country of over 200 million people with one of the highest cryptocurrency adoption rates globally. The existing financial infrastructure simply wasn't built to accommodate the influx of stablecoin payments flowing to freelancers, remote workers, and entrepreneurs in these regions. Xelio's core belief is straightforward yet revolutionary in its implications: banking should be accessible to everyone, regardless of geographic location or economic status.

SMS and WhatsApp Banking Innovation

Xelio's dual-product approach tackles accessibility from two angles. The SMS bank represents the most inclusive option, creating Solana wallets accessible through basic text messaging. This means anyone with a mobile phone—even a basic feature phone without smartphone capabilities—can establish a digital wallet, check balances, and execute transactions without ever connecting to the internet.

The WhatsApp bank extends these capabilities for users with smartphone access, essentially delivering a full-featured neobank experience through a messaging interface. This isn't simply a chatbot for checking balances; it's a comprehensive financial platform enabling rent payments, bill settlements, investments, and more. By building within WhatsApp, Xelio eliminates the friction of app downloads, account creation processes, and the learning curve associated with traditional crypto interfaces.

The Solstice Partnership and USX Integration

The partnership announcement with Solstice marks a significant expansion of Xelio's offerings. By bringing USX—a yield-bearing stablecoin—to its platform, Xelio is introducing savings functionality that could fundamentally change how emerging market populations preserve and grow their wealth.

Traditional savings options in many developing nations offer minimal returns while exposing savers to currency devaluation and inflation. Stablecoin savings denominated in USD provide protection against local currency volatility, while yield-bearing products like USX add the potential for meaningful returns. Xelio is launching this with a multiplier promotion, offering enhanced yields for early adopters who join through a rolling waitlist. The company positions this as nothing less than a complete disruption of saving as emerging market populations know it.

Regulatory Timing and Market Opportunity

Martins emphasized that the regulatory environment has never been more favorable for building in this space. Emerging markets are increasingly establishing crypto-friendly compliance frameworks, creating legitimate pathways for companies like Xelio to operate. This regulatory clarity removes significant risk for both the company and its users.

The timing observation carries significant weight: if builders were excited about crypto opportunities five years ago, the next five years promise even greater potential. This isn't idle optimism—it reflects real changes in how governments worldwide, particularly in regions like Africa, are approaching digital asset regulation. The combination of favorable regulations, proven technology, and massive unmet demand creates what Martins sees as an ideal moment to scale financial inclusion solutions.

Facts + Figures

• Nigeria is Xelio's largest market, indicating strong demand for stablecoin banking solutions in Africa's most populous nation

• Xelio launched two flagship products earlier this year: an SMS bank and a WhatsApp bank

• The SMS bank allows users to create and manage Solana wallets without internet access

• The WhatsApp bank provides full neobank functionality including payments, rent, bills, and investment capabilities

• Xelio announced a partnership with Solstice to integrate USX yield-bearing stablecoin into every emerging market wallet on their platform

• A multiplier promotion offers enhanced yields for early savers who join through a rolling waitlist

• The platform is built on Solana, leveraging the blockchain's speed and low transaction costs

• Xelio describes itself as a "financial operating system" rather than simply an app, emphasizing its comprehensive ecosystem approach

Top quotes

• "Banking should be accessible to everyone."

• "If you were excited about building in crypto five years ago, I have really good news for you for the next five."

• "Saving will be completely disrupted."

• "We're building the financial operating system to essentially fix this problem."

• "Compliance is getting very friendly towards crypto, especially in these emerging regions. And so now is the perfect time to build."

• "This allows anyone in the world to have a Solana wallet in their pocket, can transact and make payments without internet required."

Questions Answered

What problem does Xelio solve for people paid in stablecoins?

Xelio addresses the fragmented and non-compliant experience facing people who earn stablecoins in emerging markets like Nigeria. Currently, these users must juggle multiple apps with no interoperability to manage their crypto earnings, making it nearly impossible to use their money in a compliant, efficient manner. Xelio consolidates everything into familiar platforms—SMS and WhatsApp—creating a seamless financial experience that handles payments, savings, investments, and bill payments in one place.

How can someone use Xelio without internet access?

Xelio's SMS bank creates a Solana wallet accessible through basic text messaging, requiring no internet connection whatsoever. Users can check balances, send transactions, and make payments using standard SMS functionality available on even the most basic mobile phones. This innovation opens financial services to populations in areas with limited or unreliable internet infrastructure, dramatically expanding the potential user base beyond smartphone owners in urban centers.

What makes the Solstice partnership significant?

The partnership with Solstice brings USX, a yield-bearing stablecoin, to Xelio's platform, enabling users to earn returns on their savings. For populations in emerging markets with limited access to traditional banking products and who face currency devaluation, this represents access to USD-denominated savings with yield potential previously unavailable to them. The integration promises to fundamentally change how these users can preserve and grow their wealth.

Why is now the right time for stablecoin banking in emerging markets?

Regulatory environments in emerging markets are becoming increasingly friendly toward cryptocurrency and stablecoin services, creating legitimate compliance pathways that didn't exist previously. This shift removes significant operational and legal risks for companies like Xelio while giving users confidence in the legitimacy of these services. Combined with proven blockchain technology and massive unmet demand for financial services, the convergence of factors creates what Martins describes as even more exciting opportunities than existed five years ago.

How does Xelio's WhatsApp bank differ from traditional crypto wallets?

Unlike traditional crypto wallets requiring app downloads and technical knowledge, Xelio's WhatsApp bank delivers full neobank functionality within the messaging platform users already use daily. This means users can manage their finances—paying rent, settling bills, investing, and saving—without learning new interfaces or managing separate applications. The approach dramatically reduces the barrier to entry for crypto-based financial services, making them accessible to populations who might never download a dedicated crypto app.