BitPesa

BitPesa is a wholesale cryptocurrency liquidity provider for individuals and institutions across Africa.

BitPesa
Private
IndustryBitcoin, payments, financial technology, blockchain
Founded2013
FounderElizabeth Rossiello
HeadquartersNairobi, Kenya
ProductsFinancial Services
Websitewww.bitpesa.co

History

BitPesa was founded in November 2013 by Elizabeth Rossiello with headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya and offices and staff in Lagos, London, Luxembourg, Dakar and Madrid.

By the end of May 2014, BitPesa launched its beta site with a service that allowed users to send money to any mobile money wallet in Kenya.[1] At the end of December 2014, customers in Kenya could buy bitcoins on the platform. BitPesa launched in Tanzania in May 2015 allowing customers to send Tanzanian Shillings to three mobile networks in the country.

In November 2015, BitPesa launched in Nigeria and Uganda.[2]

By January 2017, BitPesa had closed a $2.5 million Series A funding round to focus on becoming the largest licensed payment company in the UK, Europe and Africa that offers real-time settlement at wholesale FX rates to frontier markets.[3] By August 2017, BitPesa had raised $10 million Series A funding led by Greycroft Partners.[4]

In February 2018, BitPesa acquired TransferZero, an online money transfer company in Spain.[5][6] BitPesa launched its services in Ghana in March 2018.[7]

BitPesa along with one more startup from Kenya made to World Economic Forum’'s 2018 Technology Pioneers Cohort.[8][9]

In October 2019, BitPesa rebranded, making it the flagship product of AZA Group.[10]

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References
  1. Vignia, Paul (23 May 2014). "Kenya's BitPesa Launches Beta Test of Remittance Service". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  2. Vignia, Paul (9 November 2015). "Bitcoin-Startup BitPesa Expands Into Nigeria, Uganda". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  3. "Kenya's BitPesa closes $2.5m funding round". Disrupt Africa. 2017-01-30. Retrieved 2017-07-21.
  4. Shin, Laura. "Bitcoin Payments Firm BitPesa Secures Greycroft As Lead Investor For $10 Million Total Funding". Forbes. Retrieved 2017-11-14.
  5. "Kenya's BitPesa acquires European money transfer platform". Disrupt Africa. 2018-02-09. Retrieved 2018-03-22.
  6. "Blockchain payments company BitPesa makes its first acquisition". Retrieved 2018-06-08.
  7. "BitPesa launches in Ghana to expand West African footprint". Disrupt Africa. 2018-03-21. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
  8. Uncova. "Two Kenyan startups make it into WEF's 2018 Technology Pioneers Cohort". Uncova.com. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  9. "Two Kenyan startups in global list of Technology Pioneers 2018 - Business Today News". businesstoday.co.ke. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  10. "Kenya's BitPesa announces it's rebranded, secured $15m in debt finance". Ventureburn. 2019-10-22. Retrieved 2019-10-28.
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