PayPal has announced it is advancing plans to expand its presence in Africa through the launch of a new cross‑border digital wallet platform, scheduled for 2026.
The initiative forms part of PayPal World, a global payments system designed to enable interoperability between local digital wallets and international merchants. The company is currently in discussions with multiple African fintech firms as it seeks to access this market.
PayPal World is structured to allow users to make cross‑border payments and international purchases through their existing local digital wallets, without opening a PayPal account. Transactions will be routed through a PayPal checkout button that connects directly to local wallet providers. The platform was announced in mid‑2024 alongside partnerships in India, China, and Brazil, with initial launches expected in selected global markets before its African rollout.
Africa represents a significant long‑term growth opportunity for global payments providers. According to the World Bank, financial account ownership in Sub-Saharan Africa rose from 34% in 2014 to 58% in 2024. Mobile money accounts exceed 860 million globally, with Africa accounting for over 70% of total mobile money transaction value, according to GSMA data.
Expanding interoperability in Africa’s digital payments ecosystem
PayPal already maintains partnerships with African fintech companies, including M‑Pesa and Flutterwave, primarily to facilitate local payments and online transactions. The new platform significantly broadens that scope by enabling overseas payments, wallet-to-wallet interoperability, and the acceptance of local wallet payments by international merchants without additional hardware investments, such as POS terminals. This approach addresses persistent challenges in African cross‑border commerce, including limited card penetration and fragmented payment infrastructure.
Global wallet partners already confirmed for PayPal World include India’s UPI, China’s WeChat Pay, and Brazil’s Mercado Pago, collectively representing approximately two billion wallet users. Integrating African wallets into this network would give local users access to a vast international merchant base while enabling global sellers to reach African consumers seamlessly.
In addition to platform development, PayPal has committed USD 100 million to investment and innovation initiatives across the Middle East and Africa. The funding includes venture investments and operational expansion, with plans to increase local hiring to support regional growth.
