Fintech Archives - AfricaBusiness.com

21Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech

Digitisation as Africa’s Great Equaliser in Financial Services

By Saviour Chibiya, Chief Executive of Absa Regional Operations (ARO) Access to financial services in Africa had for decades been defined by disparities—between rural and urban areas, between men and women, between small businesses and larger enterprises. It meant that millions, especially the continent’s most vulnerable populations, were excluded from the formal economy, curbing entrepreneurship, restricting access to credit, and stifling upward financial mobility for far too long. But by the turn of the millennium, change was afoot. Early web pioneers like Ghanaian professor Nii Quaynor, often hailed as "Africa’s father of the internet", were busy laying the groundwork for the continent's foundational online infrastructure. In 1994, Quaynor introduced Ghana’s first internet service ...

19Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech

Ecentric Wins Fintech Innovation of the Year at 2024 Africa Tech Festival Awards

Ecentric, a leading omnichannel payments provider, and its partners were awarded Fintech Innovation of the Year at the 2024 Africa Tech Festival for their pioneering Wealth on Wheels (WOW) initiative, aimed at transforming South Africa's minibus taxi industry. The awards ceremony, held on November 13, 2024, at the Bay Hotel in Camps Bay, Cape Town, celebrated outstanding technological innovation across Africa. The event recognized companies, individuals, and projects for their contributions to advancing technology on the continent. Launched at the Southern African National Transport Conference (SATC) in Pretoria, the WOW platform brings digital solutions to the heart of transportation, modernizing the minibus taxi sector and driving it into the digital era. In collaboration with the Eas...

17Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech, South Africa News, Tech

SAFPS Warns: Technology is Emerging as a Major Battleground in the Fight Against Fraud

International Fraud Awareness Week is a global annual event dedicated to raising awareness about the widespread issue of fraud and showcasing the efforts across various sectors to combat this growing challenge. This year it takes place from November 17 to 24. "The role technology plays in fraud, and scams is becoming particularly challenging in South Africa," says Nazia Karrim, Head of Product Development at the Southern African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS), “with South Africa growing into an increasingly connected society, online fraud is a significant challenge that needs to be addressed." Be Careful of Business Email Compromise (BEC) The increased nature of technology-based fraud is evident in the recent statistics accompanying it. This is a significant challenge for companies th...

17Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech, South Africa News

Is cash dead? If your answer is yes you’re missing the point… and millions of customers

By Cat Denoon-Stevens, Head of Product Incubation at Mukuru Is cash truly dead? With the rapid rise of fintech innovations and digital payment solutions, one might think so. Yet, despite the digital revolution sweeping across African societies, cash remains very much alive—and for millions, it is still the preferred way to transact. With the massive influx of fintech companies constantly innovating to bring accessible products and services to the underserved and unbanked in African societies, one might be tempted to declare that cash is dead, or that if it isn’t dead yet, it is on its very last legs. However, fintechs that are well-embedded in Africa and other emerging markets will be well aware that cash is, in fact, alive and well. In many instances, it is the primary form of tender....

15Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech, South Africa News, Startups

THE RISE OF FINTECH INNOVATION IN SA: GOING BEYOND PAYMENTS TO TRANSFORM ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR STARTUPS

By Annelene Dippenaar Two decades ago, a startup or small business had limited options when it came to processing transactions, with cash being the only option for many. Startups by their very nature also lacked credit histories, making it difficult to apply for finance, and leaving them vulnerable to unaffordable loans when seeking financial support to fund their business needs. Today, the picture is very different, with access to digital finance platforms, management tools, and mobile banking transforming how these businesses can operate. According to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), digitalisation has enabled 700 million people in developing countries to gain access to formal financial services between 2011 and 2014, with 62% of adults having a bank or mobile...

14Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech

Visa Dollar Card is Available to Every African Resident

Residents of African countries face limitations when it comes to using their local currency outside their borders. Foreign payment systems do not accept payments in any currency other than dollars or euros. Additionally, many online stores place restrictions on the use of cards from African countries due to the high rate of fraudulent transactions on the continent. The solution to these problems for any African resident has become virtual cards, which can be issued online and used for payments wherever it’s convenient. The financial service PSTNET issues Visa virtual cards without limits on top-ups, spending, or the number of cards. Ultima: Virtual Card Without Limits PSTNET is known as a provider of virtual cards for online payments. Now it offers a virtual card for shopping called Ul...

19Sep

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech, South Africa News

Happy Pay, SA fintech, raises $1.8M to reduce the cost of consumer credit to zero

Happy Pay raises $1.8 million pre-seed round and secures inaugural debt facility as it accelerates its mission of bringing the cost of consumer credit to zero for South Africans. Happy Pay, South Africa’s only independent BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) provider, now with 150,000 active users, announced today that it has raised $1.8 million in pre-seed funding. The funding round was led by a group of prominent South African venture capital investors, including co-lead investors E4E Africa and 4Di Capital, with participation from DotExe Ventures, Launch Africa, Equitable Ventures, Felix Strategic Investment, U.S.-based Gaingels, and local angels. In addition, Fin Africa (formerly Finclusion Group) is providing Happy Pay’s debt facility. Happy Pay’s forward-compliant BNPL platform, designed to m...

13Sep

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech

Fintechs need to overcome regulatory barriers that limit access to financial services for underserved communities

Nikki Kettles, Executive: Licences and Payments Regulation at Mukuru Genuine financial inclusion is vital if we are to bring millions of unbanked and underserved communities in Africa into the mainstream economy. This doesn’t just benefit the communities, it has a knock-on effect for economies, regions and the continent. Financial services are tightly regulated and this presents a challenge for fintechs — how do you innovate while working effectively within differing regulatory frameworks on the continent? While these frameworks may differ substantially, there are common barriers fintechs need to overcome. Before we get there, it is important to start at the beginning. Not many people understand what financial inclusion actually means. There is a misconception that financial inclusion me...

28Aug

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech, South Africa News

Remain vigilant in the face of increased banking scams urges the SAFPS

The end of the year is fast approaching, and with it, the festive season and general anticipation for that hard-earned vacation that many South Africans work so hard for during the year. While this is a time of good cheer and increased shopping activity to prepare for the December break, it is also a busy time for scammers who want to take advantage of this activity. Many South Africans have recently contacted a popular Johannesburg radio station reporting increased attempts at banking fraud, with scammers sometimes becoming increasingly aggressive and convincing. "This is not uncommon," warns Roy Retief, Head of Operations at the Southern African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS). Scammers generally tend to be more active during periods of increased consumer activity. It is essential to...

22Aug

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Business, Fintech, Main

Tapping into India and Africa’s strengths to drive a financial revolution

Vinesh Kassen, Head of India Client Coverage at Absa CIB, explores how successful digitisation projects have revolutionised the way that India and Africa interact with financial services, and why leveraging both regions’ capabilities will help deepen ties. India and Africa are embarking on a new chapter. The newly appointed high commissioner of South Africa to India, Anil Sooklal, has been flying the flag for the India-Africa relationship on the global stage, commenting in a recent speech that the two regions share a “special relationship that has so much potential at every level”. The connection between the two continents is more than just a bilateral relationship; it is a partnership with the capability to shape the future of global trade. In many ways, Africa and India are like mirror...