Fintechs Accounted for Over 30% of Tracked Kenyan Tech Startups in 2022 — Study

As of November 2022, Kenyan fintechs accounted for 30.2% or 93 out of the 308 tracked tech startups, a Disrupt Africa study recently found. In addition, the study findings show that the fintech sub-sector alone accounted for 3,100 or 27% of the 11,462 people that were employed by tech startups during the same period. Fintechs … Read more

Mobile Payments Outpacing Debit Cards in Argentina According to Central Bank Reports

Mobile payments are thriving in Argentina, leaving behind other traditional payment methods, including credit and debit cards. According to the central bank’s monthly report on retail payments, this kind of payment has thrived, representing 60% of the payments operations made, while plastic-based payment media has stagnated, registering a fall in use. Mobile Payments Keep Growing … Read more

Report: Chipper Cash Valuation Dropped to $1.25 Billion After it Secured Additional Funding From FTX

After Chipper Cash ended 2021 as one of Africa’s most valued fintechs, the FTX-backed startup’s valuation dropped from $2 billion to $1.25 billion after it reportedly received a $35 million simple agreement for future equity (SAFE) grant from the now-collapsed crypto exchange FTX. Chipper Cash has also reportedly laid off 50 employees as it seeks … Read more

Strike Launches Bitcoin Lightning Network-Enabled Money Transfers to Africa

United States-based users of Strike, a digital payments platform built on Bitcoin’s Lightning Network, can now transfer funds instantly and at a low cost to Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria via the recently added new feature known as “Send Globally.” The new feature instantly converts the funds to local currencies prior to moving them to recipients’ … Read more

Report: South African Digital-Only Bank Launches Crypto Payments Gateway

A South African digital-only bank (also known as a “neo bank”), Be Mobile Africa, has reportedly launched a crypto payment gateway that allows merchants to convert digital currency payments to fiat currency. Cédric Jeannot, the CEO of the digital-only bank, said the “new gateway is a game-changer” that also helps small businesses “preserve wealth in … Read more

Cameroonian Fintech Ejara Raises $8 Million in Series A Investment Round

Just over 12 months after raising $2 million, the Cameroonian fintech whose app allows users to buy and store crypto assets recently said it had received $8 million in its Series A investment round. According to Ruth Foxe Blader, partner at Anthemis, Ejara aims to become the one-stop platform where “a suite of financial products … Read more