This partnership creates a digital bridge to lessen financial isolation in Africa, which goes beyond a simple technological update and has the potential to revolutionize community development and promote inclusive, sustainable growth.
Key Takeaways:
- Signals a shift toward community-centric, digitally driven financial solutions.
- Promotes inclusive growth by lowering barriers to global market participation.
- Could challenge entrenched remittance giants while spurring regulatory modernization.
Chipper Cash is an African payments company that Ripple, a provider of digital asset infrastructure for financial institutions, announced a partnership with on Thursday.
Africa’s payments landscape is evolving—and crypto-enabled transactions are at the center. 🌍 @chippercashapp and Ripple are teaming up to enable faster, more cost-effective cross-border payments into Africa using Ripple Payments.https://t.co/tA1hO4mtyG
— Ripple (@Ripple) March 27, 2025
The company told NewsCrypto in a statement that the deal aims to use Ripple Payments, a blockchain-powered solution that speeds up transactions, lowers costs, and boosts efficiency, to streamline cross-border payments into Africa.
Chipper Cash, which has five million customers in nine African countries, is going to start facilitating money transfers with Ripple’s cryptocurrency payments technology.
According to the company, this will enable people and companies to receive money from all over the world, day or night, year-round.
This collaboration marks a significant milestone in Ripple’s growth throughout Africa, a region where remittances are essential to economic development.
The company acknowledges that, according to the World Bank, remittance costs in Africa are among the highest in the world, frequently surpassing 7% per transaction.
Ripple and Chipper Cash want to reduce these expenses and make money more accessible to millions of people by using blockchain technology.
Ripple Invests in Africa’s Digital Payment Infrastructure
“Our partnership with Chipper Cash marks a key milestone in the expansion of Ripple’s business in Africa,” said Reece Merrick, Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa at Ripple.
“Consumers and businesses across the continent are increasingly recognizing the potential of blockchain technology, and we are excited to bring our crypto-enabled payments solution to our partners in the region,” he added.
This partnership comes after Ripple’s 2023 partnership with Onafriq, formerly known as MFS Africa.
By integrating Ripple Payments, Chipper Cash says it seeks to provide faster, more affordable cross-border transactions, helping drive economic growth and innovation across Africa.
Financial Inclusion Through Blockchain
“Crypto-enabled payments have the potential to enable greater financial inclusion, accelerate access to global markets, and empower businesses and individuals across Africa,” says Ham Serunjogi, Co-Founder and CEO of Chipper Cash.
“Through integrating with Ripple’s global payments network, we are excited to harness the transformative potential of blockchain technology to enable consumers to receive payments faster and at lower cost,” adds Serunjogi.
Over 90 payout markets are served by Ripple Payments, which processes more than $70 billion in transactions annually.
According to Ripple, which has regulatory licenses and registrations all over the world, it provides a safe and legal digital asset infrastructure that enables financial institutions to effectively tokenize, store, exchange, and transfer digital assets.
Ripple Settles With SEC Paying $50M
Earlier this week, Ripple has settled with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), agreeing to pay a $50 million penalty and withdraw its cross-appeal in the long-running lawsuit.
🔗 @Ripple settles with the @SECGov, agreeing to pay a $50M penalty and dropping its cross-appeal, marking the near conclusion of a long-standing lawsuit.#SEC #Crypto #Ripplehttps://t.co/txqDDCnn0G
— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) March 25, 2025
In exchange, the SEC asked that the ban on Ripple selling XRP to institutional investors be lifted.
Ripple’s initial $125 million financial penalty has been significantly reduced by this settlement.
These incidents demonstrate how blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize financial systems, particularly in places like Africa.
They also stress how crucial regulatory clarity is to determining how the cryptocurrency industry develops in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How does this deal redefine the role of blockchain in Africa’s economy?
The collaboration moves blockchain beyond cost reduction, positioning it as a catalyst for sustainable development, bridging digital divides and establishing inclusive networks that empower local communities.
What potential benefits exist for underserved communities through this partnership?
By cutting transaction barriers, the deal may offer underserved communities easier access to global markets, improve liquidity for small enterprises, and foster resilience in local economies.
In what ways could this collaboration prompt regulatory or industry shifts?
The partnership may drive regulators to overhaul outdated frameworks, creating a more competitive environment that embraces digital finance and encourages innovations to transform the overall payment ecosystem.