MasterCard Archives - AfricaBusiness.com

9Jun

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Tech

Telkom launches Africa’s first virtual card for transacting on WhatsApp

Ukheshe, Mastercard, Nedbank and Telkom collaborate to grow access to the digital economy with virtual product that enables secure e-commerce payments on phone Telkom has launched Africa’s first Mastercard virtual card for use on WhatsApp, enabling Telkom Pay customers to make e-commerce payments. This move is expected to empower millions of South Africans – even those without a bank account – to access the digital economy and transact online. Launched in 2020, Telkom Pay is a digital payments wallet that enables its users to make and receive payments using WhatsApp on their mobile phone. With the addition of the Mastercard virtual (non-plastic) card to the wallet, users can now make payments to local and global online merchants that accept Mastercard, including Uber and Netflix. Telkom ...

11May

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Fintech

Mastercard partners with Billetera to offer cutting-edge digital payment solutions in Democratic Republic of Congo

Millions of unbanked and financially excluded residents in DRC to gain access to formal financial and digital services Mastercard’s technology to enable development of diverse digital payment solutions Partnership is aligned with DRC’s National Digital Plan (NDP) Mastercard has partnered with Billetera - a digital payments technology company headquartered in Kenya - to provide millions of unbanked and financially excluded residents in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), access to formal financial and digital services through a diverse range of digital payment solutions. The partnership aims to support the vision of the DRC Government, which under the leadership of President Felix Tshisekedi has an ambitious digitization program aligned with the country’s National Digital Pla...

15Apr

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Ethiopia News, Fintech, travel

Zemen Bank and Mastercard partner to launch Ethiopia’s first contactless Platinum Mastercard Prepaid Travel Card

Country’s first prepaid and contactless travel card will enable Ethiopians to travel with USD or EUR currencies Zemen Bank has announced a partnership with Mastercard that will see the introduction of the first ever Mastercard branded prepaid contactless travel card in Ethiopia. Zemen Mastercard prepaid travel cards will enable cardholders to use cards with either of the two major currencies, namely U.S. Dollars and Euros, based on their travel destination. The card is also the first contactless card issued in Ethiopia. Dereje Zebene, Chief Executive Officer of Zemen Bank, emphasized the benefits of the new card and acknowledged the decision of the central bank to allow banks to start issuing travel cards: “We are delighted to see this product address our customers’ needs for overseas t...

1Apr

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech

Airtel Africa’s Mobile Money Business Gains $100m Investment from Mastercard

Airtel Africa, a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services, with a presence in 14 countries across Africa, today announces the signing of an agreement under which Mastercard, a leading innovator and global technology company in the payments industry, will invest $100m in Airtel Mobile Commerce BV (“AMC BV”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Airtel Africa plc (the “Transaction”). AMC BV is currently the holding company for several of Airtel Africa’s mobile money operations and is intended to own and operate the mobile money businesses across all of Airtel Africa’s fourteen operating countries. The Transaction values Airtel Africa’s mobile money business at $2.65bn on a cash and debt free basis. Mastercard will hold a minority stake in AMC BV upon completion of the Transac...

22Jul

By AfricaBusiness.comNo Comments

African News, South Africa News

Standard Bank South Africa’s Muvo card brings cutting edge technology to bus system

The introduction of the MasterCard Muvo card in Durban will herald the beginning of the end of carrying cash for bus fare in South Africa. Commuters using People Mover and Durban Transport buses throughout Ethekwini municipality in KwaZulu-Natal province will use the card to pay their fare. The card is powered by Standard Bank South Africa and introduced through its innovation arm Beyond Payments and transport IT specialistAlmex. The card is an anonymous debit MasterCard that is coupled with the National Department of Transport's specified ticketing solution. It is also prefunded and reloadable, and can be used as a standard EMV MasterCard, as well as in a contactless environment enabled though the MasterCard PayPass™ contactless technology. The launch follows the successful...