Payments News

On The Web

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Global

Africell to Spend $100 Mln on Mobile Infrastructure, Fintech in Africa

July 26 2019

“African telecom firm Africell plans to spend part of a $100 million U.S. credit line on expanding its infrastructure and fintech services, its chief executive said on Friday. The 18-year-old company, which has 15 million subscribers across its four African operations, secured the loan in May from the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. […]
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Global

WhatsApp to Roll Out Payments Feature in India This Year

July 26 2019

“WhatsApp will roll out its payments service in India this year following a year-long pilot, its global chief Will Cathcart has said, as the Facebook-owned messaging giant taps an upsurge in digital payments in its dominant market. WhatsApp is ubiquitous across India, where data consumption is surging thanks to cheap internet, but a full launch […]
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Global

Ghanaian Universal QR Code Set to Accelerate E-payments

July 24 2019

“Ghana has become the latest country to commit to rolling out a universal QR code, as the country’s government seeks to accelerate the take-up of e-payments. The move was announced by the West African country’s vice-president, Mahamudu Bawumia, earlier this month at an event in capital, Accra.”
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Global

Concerns Over Security: Govt Fears WhatsApp May Share Payments Data With Facebook, Others

July 26 2019

“Indian authorities are concerned that WhatsApp’s payment service might share user data with group companies Facebook & Instagram, compromising the security, privacy and non-commercial information of its subscribers. The government has asked the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to look into the matter and ensure that user data collected through payment services such as […]
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Companies

Flutterwave and Alipay Partner on Payments Between Africa and China

July 29 2019

“San Francisco and Lagos-based fintech startup Flutterwave has partnered with Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba to offer digital payments between Alipay and African merchants. Flutterwave is a Nigerian-founded B2B payments service (primarily) for companies in Africa to pay other companies on the continent and abroad… “This means that all our merchants can accept or install Alipay […]
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Companies

GCash, Starbucks Introduce New Mobile Payment Option

August 2 2019

“Getting a cup of our favorite Starbucks handcrafted beverage is now easier with GCash, the leading mobile wallet in the Philippines. As of September 2018, Starbucks had 373 licensed stores nationwide. It opened its first branch in the Philippines in 1997 at the 6750 Ayala Building in Makati City, making the Philippines the third overseas […]
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Global

Nigeria’s Largest Mobile Operator Is About to Become a Bank

August 1 2019

“The fledgling mobile money market in Nigeria is about to get a major shake-up. MTN Nigeria, the country’s largest telecoms operator, has been granted a “super agent” license which allows it set up an agent network through which it can provide financial services. It’s the first step in MTN’s plans to finally roll out mobile […]

On The Wires

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Companies

Visa Sets Sights on a “Cashless Japan” With One Year to Go to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

July 24 2019

“With one year to go until the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, Visa, the Worldwide Payment Technology Partner of the Olympic Games, is preparing innovative payment experiences for athletes, visitors and citizens in support of the government’s “Cashless Japan” imperative to double the total of payments made digitally to 40 percent by 2025. With the Olympic Games Tokyo […]
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Companies

Wirecard and Sisal Group – Through SisalPay – Enter Strategic Cooperation to Drive Digital Payments in Italy

August 2 2019

“Wirecard, the global innovation leader for digital financial technology, and Sisal Group, through its brand SisalPay, have signed an agreement to partner in the field of digital payments. With more than 200 million transactions per year, 40,000 points of sale and 15 million customers, SisalPay already offers one of the most successful payment services in Italy and […]
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