For nearly two decades, every M-Pesa payment in Kenya quietly exposed one critical piece of personal data: the sender’s phone number. Whether paying for fuel, groceries, or a boda boda ride, users automatically shared their mobile numbers with recipients and merchants. That number could be stored, shared, resold — or worse, harvested for fraud. Now,
Global payments giant Stripe is reportedly exploring a takeover of PayPal — a move that could reshape the competitive dynamics of digital payments worldwide. According to Bloomberg, privately-held Stripe has expressed preliminary interest in either a full acquisition of PayPal or a deal involving some of its assets. Both companies have declined to comment on
As Africa’s cross-border payments market races toward a projected $1 trillion valuation by 2035, global fintech company Grey is staking a bold claim in the B2B arena. The company has officially launched Grey Business, a multi-currency payments platform designed to help African startups and SMEs operate internationally without the traditional friction of cross-border banking. Unveiled
In a move that could quietly redefine how artificial intelligence reaches emerging markets, M-PESA Ethiopia has partnered with Gebeya Inc. to launch the Dala AI Bundle — a subscription service that allows Ethiopians to access advanced AI creation tools and pay for them directly via mobile money. Announced in Addis Ababa on February 25, 2026,
While Valentine’s Day in the United Kingdom is marked by roses and dinner reservations, for millions of Africans in the diaspora, love often takes a more practical form: rent paid on time, school fees settled before deadlines, and medical bills handled without hesitation. On February 14, Velox Payments officially launches to the public in the
Kenya crossed a major milestone in 2025, with remittance inflows surpassing $5 billion (KES 649 billion) for the first time—making it one of the country’s top sources of foreign exchange. Yet, despite the scale and consistency of these inflows, they are largely ignored in formal credit assessments. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade
Africa’s stablecoin conversation is shifting—from speculation and retail crypto use to serious institutional treasury infrastructure. In Nairobi on Tuesday, Onafriq, the African fintech operating across 40 countries, announced a partnership with Conduit, a cross-border payments firm that leverages blockchain-based dollar tokens. The alliance signals a deeper evolution in how major African payment networks manage liquidity,
Nigerian cross-border payments startup Raenest is expanding into India and the Philippines, marking a significant shift in how African fintech companies are positioning themselves within the global digital workforce economy. The move places Raenest in two of the world’s most active freelance markets, connecting remote professionals in South and Southeast Asia directly to clients in
African insurers are emerging as the fastest climbers in the continent’s digital transformation race, even as fintechs maintain their lead, signalling a decisive shift in Africa’s financial services sector from rapid growth to operational efficiency and profitability. According to the African Financial Industry Report released by Deloitte in collaboration with the Africa Financial Summit (AFIS),
Flutterwave, Africa’s largest payments infrastructure startup, is taking another decisive step in reshaping how money moves across the continent. The company has partnered with blockchain infrastructure provider Turnkey and AI-powered global banking platform Nuvion to introduce stablecoin africa balances for merchants and users across its platform. The new capability allows Flutterwave users to hold and