Spring 21 Capstone 640pm

“What makes Ethio Pay profitable is not the number of ATMs; it rather is the large numbers of users. Our concern now is to work on promoting the system for increased customer involvement,” said Bizuneh.

After last month’s unofficial launch of Ethio-Pay, customers of other banks complained that the Bank of Abyssinia’s (BoA) ATMs did not provide service for other cards; guards of some branches unaware of the complete switch operation were seen forbidding customers from trying their cards at the ATMs.

The switch does not treat banks that have fewer ATMs any differently than those with larger networks in place. In fact, the system enables hosted members, banks without their own payment switches, to issue ATM cards without having to invest in a network of machines. It is also open to the integration of newcomers in the future without additional payments for letting their customers transact on other ATMs, the CEO added.

BELCASH TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS PLC is located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and is part of the Information Technology Services Industry. BELCASH TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS PLC has 110 employees at this location and generates $12.21 million in sales (USD).

EthSwitch has an objective to work as international gateway for all banks. When the project is fully completed, over 50 e-Payment products and services will be supported in EthSwitch covering card delivery channels like ATM, POS, mobile, internet, and voice. EthioPay is the brand given to the National e-Payment Switch of Ethiopia.

Amongst the future activities is to include mobile as part of the financial inclusion policy. Another active area is the recent launch of the domestic card called EthioPay. Across a national population of 100 million, there are 2.5 million card holders and 40 million mobile users. Sufficient opportunity for Bekele and his team in the time to come.

Since May this year the number of inter-bank transactions has been growing. This is expected to increase as the Ethiopian population becomes aware of the interoperability and ease of use of using cards in any bank’s ATM machine. Along the way there have been some transactions declines due to connectivity failures and those limitations are being addressed

We seek to ensure that people save time and have the best payment experience possible. We strive to remove unnecessary barriers, complex fee structures, and time-consuming admin to provide an innovative and streamlined solution for businesses and app users.

In 2013, SnapScan launched one of the first mobile payment apps in South Africa. By combining our ingenuity with Standard Bank's impressive financial infrastructure and expertise, SnapScan has been changing the way South Africans pay and get paid - one snap at a time.

Paga account holders will now be able to transact on Visa’s global network. Both companies will work together to develop technology and aim to drive larger payments volumes for both companies. The partnership also reflects Visa’s priorities in Africa.

Paga account holders will now be able to transact on Visa’s global network. Both companies will work together to develop technology and aim to drive larger payments volumes for both companies. The partnership also reflects Visa’s priorities in Africa.

Applications were submitted by companies across the region. The 10 finalists include: Artis Technologies, LLC – modern financing made simple through an embedded financial services platform for digital lending and real-time payments EnrichHER – offers funders the best selection of vetted investment opportunities in companies that have women in leadership roles, while cultivating a thriving ecosystem of New Majority businesses Ethiopay – safe and convenient way to pay loved ones’ bills from anywhere in the world Finosec – IT and cybersecurity management platform for the banking industry Griffin Technologies – customer intelligence platform that provides banks modern day context on new and existing customers Immediate – helps businesses recruit, engage, and retain employees by providing a financial wellness solution that delivers on-demand access to earned pay InvestGuard – technology-enabled exchange for independent PE sponsors Lendsmart AI – AI-enabled technology platform transforming the homebuying process Ryze – Bitcoin-first financial institution, starting with the most powerful way to save and accumulate Bitcoin VIVA Finance – improving employees’ financial well-being through an affordable lending program and financial education

At the conclusion of the program, the startups will present to a panel of investors during Fintech South’s Investor Preview event on Monday, Oct. 5. The top three companies will hit the virtual conference’s main stage for a chance to win $25,000.

Over the last four years, our service has allowed the Ethiopian population to access the following services using their mobile phones: Health advice (HelloDoctor)Market access (HelloMarket / HelloGebeya)Labour market access (HelloJobs / HelloSera)Legal advice (HelloLawyer / HelloTebeka)Mobile Trade service (HelloBroker/ HelloDelela)And, since February 2015, in partnership with select Ethiopian banks and micro finance institutions;Financial Inclusion (HelloCash)

To help unlock the potential of Ethiopia through the digitalization of essential services, such as finance, healthcare and education. To help drive sustainable and inclusive growth though digitalization. We believe digitalization will lower transaction costs and bring essential services to the reach of the poor. It bypasses the conventional time consuming and capital intensive build-up of fixed assets (banks branches, school buildings and clinics).

The government regulates Ethiopia’s telecommunications market, meaning that there is only one telecom provider and others are not allowed. Both BelCash and M-birr are strictly technology providers. M-Birr General Manager Thierry Artaud sees the regulated market as a benefit.

Dutch company BelCash is focused on mobile banking, working in partnership with banks to provide easier access to finance through bank accounts. Ireland-based M-Birr is a mobile money service that works with micro finance institutions where no registration at a bank is needed.

According to Ezinne Obikile, SystemSpecs Executive Director, Infrastructure and Payments Gateway; “SystemSpecs is committed to driving financial inclusion and providing payment convenience to all, which underscores this strategic partnership with Paga to extend a wide range of financial solutions and services to customers everywhere, even at a time as this.”

Also commenting, Jay Alabraba, Co-founder and Director of Business Development, Paga said: “In our commitment to make payments easier for all Nigerians and businesses, we are pleased to collaborate with SystemSpecs. Our goal is to always provide an improved experience to our customers everywhere, by leveraging digital technology. This collaboration would further help us meet the needs of individuals who seek to make various bill payments, including those in emerging markets.”

BCTS has successfully implemented its HelloCash mobile banking platform and 8 000 agents network with 6 local banks and 2 microfinance institutions, making it the largest financial network in the country.This achievement has gained recognition from the UN initiative for financial inclusion, which was substantiated by the visit of UN ambassador for financial inclusion, her Royal Majesty Queen Maxima of the Netherlands in May 2019.

With 17 strong through partnerships, across multiple sectors and an ownership structure in full compliance with the Ethiopian regulations, BelCash Payments-As-A-Platform model spurred numerous “HelloServices”. These services include airtime eTop-up, Pay-As-You-Go solar, Healthcare, eCommerce, Jobs, Entertainment, and many more, providing the Ethiopian population access to essential services through the HelloCash platform and agents network.

BelCash Technology Solutions Ltd. (BCTS) was established in Ethiopia in 2011, as a registered Value-Added Service (VAS) . It'main activity is to provides its digital technology platforms to businesses as a service (PaaS).

We have seen improvements in farmers’ livelihoods because we give them a fair price for the commodities they produce and help them with better farming practices so they increase their yields. Seeing farmers being able to pay school fees for their families has given us joy about what we do. Agriculture is the space we should be in. Before AgroCenta farmers were selling to middle men at sometimes ridiculously low prices for maize, for instance. At the time a middle man would buy a 50 kg bag of maize for US$9 (40 cedis) and we would buy it for US$11 (49 cedis). We deal mostly in maize, sorghum and soya beans and have a five year contract with a big organisation that has a constant demand for these commodities. In 2016 we sponsored 400 farmers, the majority of whom were women. We provided them with seed, fertilisers and tractor services. These farmers had an assured market. Everything they produced got purchased by us at prevailing market prices, enabling them sell quickly and earning higher.

Balancing software development of system functionalities for both native iOS and Android, simultaneously, is quite challenging.

Beginning with our Product Discovery Workshop, we collaborated with Paga's product and marketing teams to help identify new core features and areas for improvement.

Belcash’s CEO will describe the partnership and challenges he has faced in rolling out an agent network targeting pastoralist clients at the 2015 SEEP Opening Plenary: Private Sector Partnerships: Creating Sustained Impact

BelCash Technology Solutions PLC - a Mercy Corps partner and Ethiopia’s first mobile and agent banking technology platform to launch agent-based mobile money services in Ethiopia’s Somali region.

The rise of online banking around the world has helped other economies solve these very challenges. Cash, for example, is hard to transport. Coins and bills are prone to theft, and their use makes dodging taxes easier for those so inclined. For individuals who must pay in person, getting across a gridlocked city like Cairo is logistically difficult. Together, these problems can constrain an economy. In Egypt, where 94 percent of all transactions were cash as recently as 2014, such a system stymies economic growth.

Fawry is part of a new wave of technology companies ushering Egypt into the digital age. Many of these firms are helping transform industries like banking, health care, and transport, and in the process creating good jobs for young Egyptians, more than 30 percent of whom are unemployed.

SnapScan doesn’t really need an introduction. Users marry their credit cards with the app and can then shop anywhere with a SnapScan QR-code

APIs are the core of every digital strategy Digital transformation has made it possible to scale up things that used to be difficult to expand. Partnering, integrating, or reselling used to require hard work by everyone involved. As a result of digital transformation, an increasing share of business processes is digital so these things can be done far more quickly and more efficiently. 

Consumers continue to use Google Search and YouTube for inspiration and learning new skills, and ‘how to’ searches continue to grow across both platforms.