In a global financial technology landscape marked by tightened funding and economic uncertainty, African fintechs continue to defy expectations. Ten of them have now earned their place on CNBC and Statista’s 2025 list of the Top 300 Fintech Companies in the World, a milestone that affirms Africa’s rising influence in digital financial innovation.
The selection, which spanned seven core categories — digital payments, neobanking, wealth technology, insurtech, enterprise fintech, digital assets, and alternative financing — was based on key performance metrics including revenue growth, user acquisition, product innovation, and market expansion. Despite a 20% global decline in fintech investment in 2024, Africa’s standout firms demonstrated exceptional resilience, solving entrenched access issues and driving financial inclusion across the continent.
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The list spans seven fintech categories — digital payments, neobanking, wealth technology, digital assets, enterprise fintech, alternative financing, and Insurtech — and evaluates firms based on revenue growth, user acquisition, product innovation, and geographic expansion. Of over 2,000 companies analysed globally, only 300 were selected, including global giants such as Revolut, Nubank, and Ant Group. Africa’s ten entries underscore the region’s increasing relevance in a sector once dominated by Western and Asian markets.
Nigeria, the continent’s fintech powerhouse, accounts for half of Africa’s entries. With over 200 fintech startups operating across the country, five firms — PalmPay, OPay, Moniepoint, PiggyVest, and Interswitch — made the global list for their standout innovation and customer impact.
PalmPay (Neobanking / Payments)
PalmPay is Africa’s fastest-growing neobank, serving over 35 million registered users and processing up to 15 million daily transactions. With a robust agent and merchant network of over 1 million partners, it offers a wide range of services, including bill payments, savings, insurance, and B2B APIs.
In 2025, PalmPay ranked number 2 overall and number 1 in financial services on the Financial Times – Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies list. The firm is actively expanding across emerging markets — including Ghana, Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire, and Bangladesh — using a smartphone device financing model to onboard underserved users into the digital economy.
“We are creating the infrastructure for a connected digital economy… this recognition affirms the scale of the opportunity ahead,”
— Jiapei Yan, Group Chief Commercial Officer, PalmPay
OPay (Payments Super-App)
With over 60 million users, OPay offers a super-app ecosystem that includes payments, microloans, ride-hailing, and food delivery. Valued close to $3 billion in 2024, the company was recently awarded “Fintech Company of the Year” in Nigeria and recognised by the World Economic Forum as a “Global Disruptor in Emerging Markets.”
OPay’s inclusive product model and mass-market appeal have made it one of Africa’s most commercially successful fintechs.
Moniepoint (Payments)
Moniepoint, formerly TeamApt, achieved unicorn status after raising $110 million from the likes of Google and Visa. Although now incorporated in the UK, its operational roots and impact remain firmly Nigerian.
With a network supporting SMEs, digital banking, and merchant infrastructure, Moniepoint was listed as the fastest-growing African fintech by the Financial Times in 2024.
PiggyVest (Wealth Technology)
PiggyVest stands out as the only African fintech in the wealth technology category. With over 7 million users and ₦2 trillion ($1.3 billion) in savings and investments since its 2016 launch, the platform is simplifying financial freedom through automated savings, investment tools, and disciplined money habits.
“We believe financial freedom should be simple, accessible, and achievable.” — Odun Eweniyi, Co-founder and COO, PiggyVest
PiggyVest was also awarded Best Digital Savings Platform at the 2024 African Fintech Awards.
Interswitch (Payments)
A pioneer of digital payments in Africa, Interswitch has issued over 85 million Verve cards and maintains a dominant cross-border presence. In 2024, it was named among Africa’s Top 10 Most Valuable Brands by Brand Africa.
With over two decades of continuous innovation, Interswitch represents the maturity and endurance of African fintech in global conversations.
Expanding the Pan-African Fintech Footprint
Beyond Nigeria, other trailblazing fintechs across Egypt, Kenya, and South Africa also earned global recognition.
M-KOPA (Alternative Financing – Kenya)
Operating in five countries, M-KOPA delivers pay-as-you-go financing for smartphones, solar systems, and household items. With over 7 million customers, M-KOPA is reshaping access to credit and digital tools for underserved populations.
Awarded the Financial Inclusion Award at the 2024 Africa Fintech Summit, M-KOPA is widely regarded as one of Africa’s most impactful fintechs in asset financing.
Tala (Alternative Financing – Kenya)
Tala uses smartphone data to offer microloans, particularly to the unbanked. With over 8 million users and $360 million raised to date, it continues to break new ground in behavioural credit scoring.
In 2024, Fast Company named Tala one of the Most Innovative Companies globally.
Yoco (Payments – South Africa)
South Africa’s Yoco supports over 200,000 SMEs with affordable POS devices and payment solutions. With $107 million raised — including a landmark $83 million Series C — Yoco is the leading enabler of small business transactions in Southern Africa.
Yoco was named Best SME Enabler at the 2024 African Fintech Forum.
MyFawry (Payments – Egypt)
MyFawry, a consumer-facing digital finance platform, generated $121.6 million in revenue in 2024 and operates over 372,000 POS terminals. It earned Best Consumer Fintech App at the Egypt Fintech Innovation Awards.
Paymob (Payments – Egypt)
Serving over 350,000 merchants, Paymob raised $22 million in 2024 to deepen its infrastructure across North Africa and the Gulf. The platform was listed among Forbes Middle East’s Top 20 Fintech Startups to Watch.
Africa’s Fintech Future: Solving for Access, Not Just Disruption
While global fintechs are increasingly focused on AI, crypto, and compliance automation, African fintechs are winning by solving fundamental challenges: financial exclusion, informal commerce, cash dependency, and credit access. By meeting people where they are — both geographically and digitally — African fintechs are scaling inclusive solutions with measurable impact.
What sets them apart?
• Hyper-local models: Leveraging agent networks, USSD, and smartphone financing
• Regulatory resilience: Navigating tough markets through partnerships and licensing
• Purpose-led innovation: Financial tools focused on day-to-day survival, not speculation
Even as venture capital contracts globally, Africa’s fintech ecosystem continues to draw interest, not only as a high-growth opportunity but as a force for financial equity.
As African fintechs scale beyond their home markets — with expansion into Asia, deeper regional penetration, and increasing investor interest from development funds and global venture firms — the opportunity is enormous. Still, the path ahead requires navigating regulatory fragmentation, digital infrastructure gaps, and financial literacy challenges. But the message from CNBC and Statista’s 2025 ranking is clear: Africa is no longer emerging — it’s shaping the future of fintech.
The recognition of ten African fintech companies among the world’s top 300 by CNBC and Statista is a significant marker in the global technology narrative. From Nigeria’s digital banking surge to East Africa’s alternative financing models, Africa’s fintech ecosystem is proving itself indispensable — not just locally, but globally. These companies are not only growing; they are transforming what it means to bank, save, invest, and build wealth in the 21st century.
Their collective momentum shows that African fintech is no longer a sidebar in the global story — it is the main event.
