What’s next for African fintech? 5 fintech leaders share their expectations for 2026
As funding slows and regulation tightens, African fintech leaders say the future belongs to infrastructure players, compliant operators, and firms built for scale.
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Despite strong growth in climate tech funding in 2025, fintech retained its position as Africa’s leading destination for venture capital. While a significant share of this capital flowed to more mature companies, the sector continues to offer compelling opportunities for investors, founders, and governments alike.<br />
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The year also delivered several notable wins. On the funding side, Moniepoint closed its Series C round, securing fresh capital to support its search for new growth levers and market expansion. Regulatory progress was equally significant. The fintech passporting agreement between Ghana and Rwanda stood out as a landmark development, raising hopes for deeper cross-border collaboration across the continent. <br />
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Regulators in Nigeria, Egypt, and Kenya intensified efforts to promote digital stock trading, a move that bodes well for wealthtech startups seeking to broaden retail participation in capital markets.<br />
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However, exit activity remained subdued, continuing a trend that has been evident over the past three years. Still, there were glimmers of optimism. South Africa and Egypt recorded high-profile public market activity with the IPOs of Optasia and valU, respectively. In North Africa, Moroccan fintech CashPlus raised $82.5 million through its listing on the Casablanca Stock Exchange.<br />
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As 2026 begins, fintech leaders who spoke with Techpoint Africa expressed cautious optimism. They highlighted regulatory evolution, cross-border expansion, and product diversification as key trends likely to shape fintech operations and growth in the year ahead.<br />
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What mattered in 2025 and what was largely noise <br />
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Industry leaders described 2025 as a year shaped more by regulatory and infrastructure maturity than by headline-grabbing innovation. <br />
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“The developments that mattered most were the structural ones: more active regulators, improving interoperability in some markets, and a stronger focus on risk by banks and mobile money operators. These changes are pushing the ecosystem toward hi...
