MoneyBadger

What MoneyBadger does

MoneyBadger is a South African Bitcoin and cryptocurrency payment infrastructure provider, headquartered in Stellenbosch and operating as MoneyBadger (Pty) Ltd. Founded in 2022 by former Luno and SnapScan executives, the company builds a payment layer that connects consumer crypto wallets — including exchange wallets from Luno, VALR, Binance, Bybit, and AltCoinTrader, plus 13+ Lightning Network wallets — to merchant point-of-sale systems via a proprietary QR-code translator and a REST API. The platform integrates with all major South African payment service providers (Ozow, Peach Payments, Zapper, Scan to Pay, Ecentric, Electrum), enabling merchants to accept Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies while receiving settlement in South African Rand, Bitcoin, or stablecoins; MoneyBadger absorbs volatility risk between customer payment and merchant settlement.

The product surface spans in-store QR payments, e-commerce plugins for Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, and Prestashop, direct API integration for high-volume merchants (R10M+ monthly volume), Lightning refund support (LUD-18 / Lightning Address capture), cross-border supplier payments on stablecoin rails (Tron, Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, Base), and ZAR-to-crypto revenue conversion for treasury use cases. Distribution is achieved almost entirely through the PSP channel, with anchor customers including Pick n Pay (1,500+ stores, R1M+/month processed), South African Airways, Travelwings, Dis-Chem, Clicks, Game, Bootlegger Coffee, Krispy Kreme, and TicketPro. Notional merchant reach exceeds 650,000 locations through the Scan to Pay partnership.

Monetization is primarily through the spread between crypto-conversion rates and ZAR-settlement rates on PSP-routed volume (with no additional fee charged to merchants beyond standard PSP pricing), supplemented by negotiated enterprise API contracts for high-volume merchants and bespoke professional services for cross-border and treasury implementations. The company operates under FSCA exemption as an active Crypto Asset Service Provider, with FSP licence application 53482 in progress, and is led by a co-founder who chairs the Crypto Asset Association of South Africa (CAASA). As of mid-2025, MoneyBadger had raised US$400,000 in pre-seed funding led by P1 Ventures and processed R18.97 million in cumulative crypto payment volume (73% Bitcoin).

Name

MoneyBadger

Legal name

MoneyBadger (Pty) Ltd

Website

https://moneybadger.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MoneyBadger is a South African crypto payment infrastructure provider that connects Bitcoin and Lightning wallets to merchants via QR codes and PSP integrations, delivering instant ZAR settlement across 650,000+ locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cryptocurrency Payment Processing

NAICS

Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320), Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232)

SIC

Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200), Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Crypto Merchant Acquirers & PSPs (Payment Service Providers) (FSADAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Crypto Payment Gateways & Checkout APIs (FSADAIAA), Settlement, Reconciliation & Merchant Treasury Tools (Crypto) (FSADAIAK), Payment Orchestration, Routing & Smart Transaction Management (Crypto) (FSADAIAJ)

Keywords

• Cryptocurrency payment processing
• Bitcoin payment infrastructure
• Lightning network payments
• Crypto-to-fiat conversion
• Merchant payment gateway

Headquarters

HQ city

Stellenbosch

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Transaction Fee Revenue Share: MoneyBadger earns revenue by adding crypto payment capabilities to existing payment service provider relationships. Merchants pay their PSP's standard fees (Peach Payments 1.5% + R1.50, Zapper 2.9%, Ozow from 1.5%), and MoneyBadger handles conversion and Rand settlement behind the scenes at no additional cost. Revenue comes from the spread between crypto conversion rates and settlement rates.
2. Enterprise API Integration: For large enterprises with R10M+ monthly volume, MoneyBadger offers direct API integration with negotiated rates and dedicated account management, bypassing PSP layer.
3. Custom Treasury & Cross-Border Solutions: Custom Bitcoin and stablecoin treasury systems and cross-border settlement on crypto rails for businesses with specific compliance and integration needs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MoneyBadger operates a Bitcoin and cryptocurrency payment infrastructure platform that enables South African merchants to accept crypto payments in-store and online with instant settlement in South African Rand. The platform connects customer crypto wallets (including 13+ Lightning wallets and major exchange wallets like Luno, Binance, VALR, Bybit) to merchant point-of-sale systems through proprietary QR code translator technology, integrating with all major South African payment service providers including Ozow, Peach Payments, Zapper, and Scan to Pay to reach 650,000+ merchant locations.

Product overview

MoneyBadger is a Bitcoin-centric payments infrastructure provider offering a unified platform for cryptocurrency payments in South Africa. The core MoneyBadger Platform connects customer wallets (including exchange wallets from Luno, Binance, VALR, Bybit, AltCoinTrader and 13+ Lightning wallets) to merchant point-of-sale systems via QR code scanning, with the MoneyBadger API enabling direct platform integration and ready-made e-commerce plugins for Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, and Prestashop. The platform integrates with major payment service providers including Ozow, Peach Payments, Zapper, Scan to Pay, Ecentric, and Electrum, providing access to over 650,000 merchant locations. Merchants receive settlement in South African Rand, stablecoins, or Bitcoin. Additional modules include Lightning Refunds for return processing, Cross-Border Supplier Payments for international B2B transactions, and Revenue Conversion for automated crypto treasury management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MoneyBadger Platform Bitcoin and cryptocurrency payment infrastructure enabling merchants to accept crypto payments in-store and online with settlement in South African Rand, stablecoins, or Bitcoin. Connects customer wallets (Lightning and exchange wallets) to merchants through QR code scanning and integrates with major payment networks.
• MoneyBadger API REST API enabling online stores and payment platforms to integrate crypto payments directly. Supports Lightning Network transactions and major wallet providers with ready-made plugins for Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, and Prestashop. Includes Scanner API for QR code processing with refund address support.
• MoneyBadger Mobile App Free mobile application for scanning South African QR codes (Zapper, Scan to Pay, Pick n Pay) to decode payments and route to Lightning wallets. Available on iOS and Android. Supports adding tips to payments and automatic Lightning refund address collection.
• Cross-Border Supplier Payments Recurring outbound crypto payment service enabling South African businesses to pay overseas suppliers via stablecoins (USDT, USDC) or Bitcoin with Written Mandate Instruction compliance. Supports multiple networks (Tron, Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, Base) with Travel Rule compliance.
• Revenue Conversion Service Service converting ZAR sales revenue to Bitcoin or USD stablecoins. Enables merchants to automate or on-demand convert card, EFT, and voucher revenues into crypto without requiring a foreign bank account.

Quantifiable outcome

• 66% of Bitcoin owners want to spend Bitcoin
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration24 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• BybitmajorTechnology or Integration · 28 April 2026Bybit Pay expanded to South Africa through MoneyBadger integration, enabling QR-based crypto payments at hundreds of thousands of merchants. Users can pay with Bitcoin, stablecoins, and 20+ digital assets. Bybit is world's second-largest crypto exchange by trading volume with 80M+ users globally.
• OzowcoreTechnology or Integration · 28 January 2026Ozow integrated cryptocurrency as a primary payment solution powered by MoneyBadger. Customers can pay directly from crypto wallets including Bitcoin Lightning and major exchange wallets (Luno, VALR, Binance) with instant settlement in South African Rand. Integration available to all Ozow merchants. Ozow is a licensed System Operator and Third-Party Payment Provider with PASA.
• Scan to PaycoreTechnology or Integration · 7 October 2025Integration enables South Africans to spend Bitcoin at over 650,000 merchant locations via Scan to Pay QR codes. Users can pay with Bitcoin using Luno, VALR, or MoneyBadger app via Binance or Lightning wallets. Merchants include Clicks, Dis-Chem, Game, Engen, Shell, Makro, and others.
• ZappercoreTechnology or Integration · 9 September 2025Partnership enables Bitcoin payments at 31,000+ Zapper merchants including restaurants, fuel stations, and retailers. Users can pay with Bitcoin via Binance, Luno, VALR, or MoneyBadger app. Over 400 Wimpy restaurants and major chains included. Transactions complete in seconds with no additional fees from Binance.
• Peach PaymentscoreTechnology or Integration · 28 July 2025Partnership enables Peach Payments merchants to accept Bitcoin and other crypto assets. First purchases were for spades at a hardware store and light fittings at a lighting retailer, demonstrating mainstream adoption. Merchants include TicketPro (first online ticketing company). Peach Payments operates in Kenya, Mauritius and South Africa.
• Pick n PaycoreTechnology or Integration · 1 February 2022First major client. Pick n Pay debuted crypto payments in February 2023, becoming first African retailer to offer Bitcoin at till. Currently processing R1 million+ monthly in crypto transactions across 1,500+ stores including hypermarkets, supermarkets, clothing and express shops. Payments via Electrum POS integration.
• LunocoreTechnology or IntegrationLuno wallet integration allows users to pay at Pick n Pay, Zapper, Scan to Pay, and other MoneyBadger-enabled merchants. Luno has 5+ million South African users. Co-founded by MoneyBadger CEO Carel van Wyk.
• VALRcoreTechnology or IntegrationVALR wallet integration for Bitcoin payments. CEO Farzam Ehsani: 'You can now spend Bitcoin using VALR Pay at over 31,000 Zapper merchants in South Africa.' VALR has 1+ million South African users.
• BinancecoreTechnology or IntegrationBinance Pay integration enables Bitcoin payments at Zapper merchants (31,000+), Scan to Pay (650,000+), and other MoneyBadger-enabled locations. Binance has 300M+ global users and 2M+ South African users. No additional fees charged for Bitcoin payments.
• TravelwingsmajorTechnology or IntegrationTravelwings enables Bitcoin and USDT payments for flights, hotels, tours, and visa services through Peach Payments/MoneyBadger integration. Coupon code CRYPTOFIRSTDOM (R50 off domestic) and CRYPTOFIRSTINT (R150 off international) for first-time crypto payments.
• South African AirwaysmajorTechnology or IntegrationSAA accepts Bitcoin for flight bookings processed through MoneyBadger with Ozow settling funds to the airline. Airline faces no crypto volatility risk. Described as potential inflection point for African travel payments.
• Blink (Bitcoin Beach Wallet)coreTechnology or IntegrationBlink (formerly Bitcoin Beach Wallet) has MoneyBadger integrated for direct QR code scanning at merchants. Custodial Lightning wallet built on open-source Galoy platform.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Strike: Global Bitcoin Lightning payment processor enabling merchants to accept and settle in fiat or BTC. Most directly comparable to MoneyBadger on Lightning rails and instant settlement, although Strike operates at global scale rather than a single African market.
• OpenNode: Bitcoin and Lightning payment processor for merchants and platforms with API integrations and instant settlement. Closely comparable to MoneyBadger's API-first Lightning gateway and merchant settlement model.
• BitPay: Long-standing crypto payment gateway serving global merchants with multi-coin acceptance and fiat settlement. Comparable to MoneyBadger as a merchant-facing crypto acquirer with settlement into local currency.
• Coinbase Commerce: Crypto payment gateway from Coinbase enabling merchants to accept BTC, ETH, stablecoins, and other digital assets with conversion to fiat. Comparable as a global crypto merchant acceptance and conversion platform.
• BTCPay Server: Open-source, self-hosted Bitcoin and Lightning payment processor. Comparable to MoneyBadger's Lightning and Bitcoin merchant acceptance model, particularly for direct API-driven integrations.

Emerging players

• Luno Pay: Luno's own crypto payment feature enabling Bitcoin payments at Pick n Pay and other merchants in SA. Comparable to MoneyBadger on the SA consumer side and shares founder lineage, but competes for the same merchant relationships.
• VALR Pay: VALR's exchange-embedded crypto payment feature for spending BTC at Zapper merchants in SA. Comparable as a wallet-side crypto payment alternative leveraging the same Zapper infrastructure MoneyBadger integrates.

Broad incumbents

• Binance Pay: Exchange-embedded zero-fee crypto payment service from Binance with 300M+ global users enabling payments at merchants via QR. Comparable on consumer reach and zero-fee positioning; a potential disintermediation risk rather than a direct head-to-head competitor in SA today.
• Bybit Pay: Bybit's QR-based crypto payment service (20+ digital assets including BTC and stablecoins) that recently expanded to South Africa via MoneyBadger integration. Comparable as a global exchange-backed crypto payment network with overlapping SA merchant reach.

Others

• Voltage (Lightning Network Infrastructure): Lightning Network infrastructure provider offering node hosting, payments, and enterprise tooling. Comparable as enabling infrastructure in the Lightning ecosystem that MoneyBadger's stack depends on, rather than a direct merchant competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MoneyBadgerPay
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/moneybadger

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MoneyBadger