Visa Establishes Tanzania Office Amid Rising Demand for Digital Payments
Tanzania’s journey towards a cash-light economy received a significant boost yesterday as global payments firm Visa launched its local office in Dar es Salaam, marking a deeper engagement with the country’s digital finance landscape.
The event, known as Visa Day, brought together government officials, regulators, and industry players to celebrate the company’s expanded presence in Tanzania, The Citizen reported.
Visa has appointed Victor Makere as Country Manager for Tanzania, who will also oversee operations in Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi.
Read more: https://fintechnews.africa/45576/fintech-tanzania/visa-tanzania-digital-payments-office-launch/
IFC Backs Maroc Telecom with $430M to Expand 4G in Chad and Mali
IFC is partnering with Maroc Telecom through a $430M financing package to expand 4G mobile infrastructure in Chad and Mali, strengthening the operator’s regional footprint.
Through this partnership, IFC will provide two loans totaling USD 430M (EUR 370M) to boost mobile connectivity and enhance mobile internet quality in Chad and Mali.
By mobilizing private capital to expand digital infrastructure, we’re opening doors to innovation, skills development, and job creation across Africa, all in line with the continent’s priorities,” said Makhtar Diop, IFC Managing Director.
Read more: https://www.techinafrica.com/ifc-backs-maroc-telecom-with-430m-to-expand-4g-in-chad-and-mali/
Scaling Across APAC: Why Cross-Border Payments Matter More Than Ever
In today’s digital-first economy, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region has emerged as a global hotspot for fintech innovation and digital commerce.
From e-commerce and digital subscriptions to SaaS and travel platforms, companies are increasingly turning to APAC as the frontier for their next phase of growth.
But behind this momentum lies a persistent operational challenge: cross-border payments.
Read more: https://fintechnews.sg/114215/payments/apac-cross-border-payments/
Egypt: FRA grants approvals for fintech expansion, 3 new startup establishments
Arab Finance: The Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) has issued approvals for five companies to expand their operations in the non-banking financial sector, according to a statement.
Digified, a company registered as an outsourcing services provider, has received approval from the FRA’s committee for reviewing fintech applications in non-banking financial activities to add digital contract execution for non-banking financial products and digital registration, preservation, and retrieval services to its business scope.
The committee also endorsed the establishment of Nice Deer, Dayra, and iSupply as fintech startups.
Arab Finance: The Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) has issued approvals for five companies to expand their operations in the non-banking financial sector, according to a statement.
Digified, a company registered as an outsourcing services provider, has received approval from the FRA’s committee for reviewing fintech applications in non-banking financial activities to add digital contract execution for non-banking financial products and digital registration, preservation, and retrieval services to its business scope.
The committee also endorsed the establishment of Nice Deer, Dayra, and iSupply as fintech startups.
Mastercard and Jordan Islamic Bank Collaborate to Expand Digital Payment Offerings and Financial Inclusion in Jordan
Mastercard Jordan Islamic Bank (JIB) have joined forces to expand access to Shari’ah-compliant digital payments in Jordan. This strategic partnership uses Mastercard’s payment technologies and Jordan Islamic Bank’s commitment to innovation to improve safe and personalised financial services.
JIB will leverage Mastercard’s payment technologies and advisory services to enhance its consumer card portfolio, introducing new features tailored to the unique needs of Shari’ah- compliant customers. The collaboration aims to support the development of new digital channels and customer engagement platforms, enabling JIB to deliver more personalized, accessible, and secure banking experiences.
Read more: https://ffnews.com/blog/2025/07/22/mastercard-jordan-islamic-bank/
Majority of UK adults still value cash despite digital payments
New online research published today by LINK, the UK’s cash access and ATM network, shows that cash is the most trusted payment method, with customers saying it gives them more control of their spending.
The data forms part of LINK’s regular research to understand current payment and spending habits. While contactless card payments are seen as the most convenient and quickest form of payment by a significant majority of consumers, cash is seen as the most reassuring for staying within a budget and fully understanding the cost of shopping too. Almost two-thirds of consumers (65%) also said cash protects them from fraud compared to (22%) contactless card and (18%) digital wallets.
Almost two-thirds (65%) said cash gives them confidence that nothing would go wrong, such as a payment outage, whilst 68% also highlighting that using cash is good for retailers – as it’s cost efficient to accept it.
Read more: https://www.link.co.uk/news/majority-of-uk-adults-still-value-cash-despite-digital-payments
