... Johannesburg, 25 March 2026 - At the 6th Africa Fintech Forum held in Johannesburg, Intellect Design Arena Ltd., a global leader in AI-First, enterprise-grade financial technology, was recognised as the Best Banking Technology Vendor of the Year 2026, reinforcing its pivotal role in the modernisation of Africa's financial infrastructure. This recognition emphasises the company's alignment with South Africa's vision for ...

... A lag in data means South Africa's inflation rate - 3.1% year-on-year in March as of yesterday's Stats SA print - may not reflect lived realities, a dynamic that the use of fintech-based transaction data could resolve. This is according to Jed da Silva, co-founder and head of product at start-up Maholla, which has created a consumer rewards and market ...

... There has also been consolidation among fintechs themselves. Lesaka Technologies bought Bank Zero for R1.1bn in a transaction that will see it launch a suite of foreign currency products that will allow it to play in the competitive cross-border remittances market. Lesaka also bought fintech operator Adumo for R1.6bn in 2024. It's not only in South Africa where consolidation in ...

... Payfast founder Jonathan Smit has acquired payment technology provider iVeri, marking a shift in South Africa's fintech sector. 14 Apr 2026 14 Apr 2026 Jonathan Smit | image supplied The deal brings together iVeri's nearly 30-year track record in payment infrastructure with Smit's experience in building and scaling digital payment platforms. Smit, who founded Payfast in 2007, led the business ...

... below Kenya's 57 percent and South Africa's 83 percent. Smartphone penetration is similarly uneven, particularly in rural areas where feature phones remain dominant and network coverage can fluctuate between 2G connectivity and complete signal loss. These constraints limit the ability of fintech products designed for constant internet access to reach large segments of the population. "You have a massive population ...

... the continent's Fintech market led by South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, and Kenya is projected to grow to US $65 billion in 2030. We are optimistic about the future of Optasia and look forward to its next thrilling stage of expansion." - Salvador Anglada, CEO, Optasia The transaction further advances Standard Bank's purpose of driving Africa's growth. By partnering with Optasia ...

... internationally without setting up local legal entities. The expansion gives fintech companies a faster way to access top global talent across key hiring markets, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Cyprus, New Zealand, and South Africa. Rise's broader EOR rollout is continuing through 2026, giving fast-scaling fintech companies more flexibility in how they build compliant international teams. ...

... business did not happen overnight. Long before fintech, he built a legendary rugby career that placed him among South Africa's greatest players. He made his Springbok debut at just 21 and went on to earn 124 caps. His role in the 2007 Rugby World Cup victory remains one of the defining moments in South African rugby history. His eight tries ...

... A fintech operating across multiple African markets could handle customer data from Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and the EU, for example, which would require it to navigate the NDPR, Kenya's Data Protection Act, POPIA, and GDPR. South Africa's Information Regulator amended POPIA regulations in April 2025 to introduce stricter breach notification timelines and expanded information officer responsibilities. And as of ...

... strategies adopted by global fintech players such as Klarna, Revolut, SoFi, and Paytm, all of which have sought regulatory licences to deepen their financial service offerings. Looking ahead, the company signalled interest in obtaining additional licences across key African markets, including South Africa, Egypt, Kenya and Ghana, although it declined to disclose the status of any applications. It also left ...

... combined effect was a 10.2% decline in MTN South Africa's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) - or 10.1% excluding a loss on the disposal of towers. The Ebitda margin contracted 2.9 percentage points to 34.5%. Top priority The group has now placed "restoring profitable growth of prepaid in South Africa" alongside fintech execution as one of MTN's ...

... South Africa's microlending sector is a key driver of financial inclusion, providing access to credit for millions who may otherwise be excluded from traditional banking. But as the industry grows, particularly through digital and fintech platforms, it is increasingly targeted by sophisticated fraud. "Fraud is evolving at an unprecedented pace," says Niresh Gopichand, Risk Director at Atlas Finance. "We are ...

... Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) payment options have strutted onto South Africa's financial runway with the swagger of innovation-offering interest-free installments, bypassing traditional credit checks, and boasting sleek user interfaces that make old-school layaways look prehistoric. For consumers, it feels like a dream: swipe today, split it tomorrow. For platforms, it's fintech gold. But beneath the surface of this frictionless ...

... The discussion paper from South Africa's Intergovernmental Fintech Working Group (IFWG) on rand-pegged stablecoins has implications for merger & acquisition (M&A) activity in the fintech, payments and financial services sectors. Most notably, the IFWG paper signals South African regulators expect rand-pegged stablecoins to remain a feature of the financial landscape and are therefore preparing to regulate, rather than prohibit, them. ...

... purchases into a single social feed-creating a one-tap environment where payments, conversations and services converge. The feature is part of a broader innovation pipeline, with EcoCash signalling upcoming services including stablecoin-based remittances and expanded digital offerings. With Sasai Fintech's footprint in South Africa and the United Kingdom, the platform is also positioning for seamless diaspora remittances and embedded insurance-linking Zimbabwean ...

... expansion, where alternative data sources can unlock lending for individuals and SMEs previously excluded from formal financial markets. In addition, open banking introduces competitive dynamics that can lower costs and improve service delivery. The entry of fintech firms and non-bank providers challenges incumbents, leading to more affordable and innovative financial products. This is particularly significant in South Africa, where high ...

... Capitec, the biggest retail bank with 26-million active customers, has pivoted its income streams from solely a personal lending and transactional banking to include insurance, fintech, and a business banking segment. File photo (Freddy Mavunda) South Africa's big banks recorded bumper earnings in 2025, with the country's five biggest lenders raking in nearly R150bn in profits in the year that ...

... the process. Without repetition, there is no learning curve. Without a learning curve, there is no scale. Regionally, this contrast is becoming evident. In Nigeria, banks and fintech companies are launching multiple digital products, iterating quickly based on market feedback. In South Africa, retailers and financial institutions are building parallel digital ecosystems to complement their core businesses. Zimbabwean firms, by ...

... adaptation. Lessons from Regional and Global Markets Across Africa and beyond, AI adoption is already reshaping industries. In Kenya, technology-driven startups are using AI to improve agricultural productivity and financial inclusion. In South Africa, fintech and healthtech firms are leveraging AI to scale services efficiently. Globally, companies such as Amazon have integrated AI into every aspect of their operations, from ...

... programme highlights startups working across fintech, agritech, health tech, mobility, and SaaS, with a shared focus on using artificial intelligence to address critical local and regional challenges. The selected startups include ventures from multiple African countries such as Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Senegal, Tanzania, and Cote d'Ivoire. They are developing solutions ranging from cross-border payments and financial infrastructure to ...