Crypto Partnership: Ripple and Chipper Cash Join Forces to Bring New Era in African Transactions

Cross-border money transfers in Africa have been expensive, time-consuming, and frustrating for decades. But all that is about to change radically. Ripple, a world payments leader in blockchain technology, has joined forces with Chipper Cash, a top African fintech company, to make transactions smoother, faster, and cheaper.

On March 27, the collaboration hopes to onboard Ripple Payments, Ripple’s cryptocurrency solution, onto Chipper Cash’s platform. The goal is to solve the high fees and inefficiency of the current remittance infrastructure and create a frictionless channel for people and businesses to move money around Africa.

Why This Partnership Matters

Africa has the world’s fastest-growing fintech ecosystem, yet cross-border payments remain a persisting issue. The majority of people still utilize ancient banking systems that are expensive and take days to settle payments.

Reece Merrick, Ripple’s Managing Director for Africa and the Middle East, views this collaboration as one of the biggest highlights of Ripple’s expansion. Chipper Cash is already serving millions in over 20 African countries, and the collaboration will have a significant impact on financial inclusion.

Chipper Cash’s Big Move with Ripple

Chipper Cash is no stranger to innovation. As one of Africa’s leading fintech platforms, it has been instrumental in providing easy and affordable financial services to millions. Now, with Ripple’s blockchain technology being integrated, Chipper Cash hopes to make its payments faster and cheaper.

CEO and co-founder Ham Serunjogi also sees the potential for cryptocurrency-enabled payments, noting that the change will enable customers to get their money earlier and cheaply.

For many Africans, this means more accessible financial services and high economic opportunities.

Ripple’s Growing Influence in Africa

This is not the first foray of Ripple in the African continent. The organization partnered with Onafriq in 2023 to allow payments among 27 countries in Africa and open them to foreign markets like Australia, the UK, and the Gulf Cooperation Council. 

Ripple has its mind set on utilizing blockchain technology for transforming cross-border money movement.

Merrick points out that blockchain’s adoption in remittances is a direct response to the limitations of traditional banking. With this technology, transactions can be completed in seconds, with minimal costs, something that could be life-changing for many individuals and businesses.

Ripple’s Global Expansion and Legal Win

Ripple purchased a payments license in Dubai, enabling it to provide crypto-facilitated payment services in the UAE, a strategic location between Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Besides that, Ripple has just won a significant court battle with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), a move that provided it with the regulatory clarity it so desperately required. With the win, Ripple is scaling its services more confidently, positioning itself as a central figure in cross-border payments. With this partnership, a new transaction era in Africa starts.