NowPay
NowPay is a Cairo-based fintech that delivers a mobile financial wellness platform centered on earned wage access for corporate employees, bundled with bill payments, gold/silver investment, shopping installments, and money transfers, distributed B2B2C via employer partnerships in Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersCairo, Egypt
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What NowPay does
NowPay is an Egyptian fintech company headquartered in Cairo that operates a mobile-first financial wellness platform targeting employers and their employees via a B2B2C model. The company's core product is an earned wage access (EWA) service that allows employees to access accrued salaries before payday, with NowPay fronting the funds and recouping through employer payroll deductions; the service is offered free to corporations with no change in employer cash flow or liability. Around this core, NowPay bundles additional modules including gold and silver investment, instant bill payments, shopping installments through a network of over 20 merchant partners (Samsung, Xiaomi, Bosch, MAC Cosmetics, Tradeline, XPRS, Elaraby, Fathalla, Dream, Dubai Phone, Kabbani), and P2P money transfers, all delivered through iOS and Android apps.
Revenue mechanics rely primarily on float from advanced salaries and downstream transaction-based monetization, with enterprise customers such as PepsiCo, Orange, AXA, Kellogg's, Lafarge, MAC Cosmetics, KraftHeinz, Americana, Canal Sugar, Wadi Group, Beltone Financial, and Mazaya providing distribution. Distribution is sales-led through a five-step employer onboarding process targeting HR/benefits buyers, and marketing is executed via LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, app store presence, and PR coverage. The company has raised a cumulative $31 million across rounds including backing from Y Combinator, BECO Capital, Global Ventures, 500 Global, Foundation Ventures, and Endure Capital.
In January 2026, NowPay expanded internationally via the NowAccess joint venture with Tas'heel (United International Holding's consumer finance arm), which invested $20 million for a 75% stake while NowPay retained 25%; NowAccess targets Saudi Arabia with a Riyadh-based engineering and operations team, leveraging Tas'heel's Sharia-compliant balance sheet and 310+ service locations to serve Saudi employers and the large Egyptian expatriate workforce in the Kingdom. The company employs 11–50 people and is led by CEO and co-founder Mostafa Ashour.
NowPay firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NowPay
- Legal name
- NowPay
- Website
- https://nowpay.cash
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- NowPay is a Cairo-based fintech that delivers a mobile financial wellness platform centered on earned wage access for corporate employees, bundled with bill payments, gold/silver investment, shopping installments, and money transfers, distributed B2B2C via employer partnerships in Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NowPay industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Earned Wage Access
- NAICS
- Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320)
- SIC
- Finance Lessors (6172)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Embedded Payroll, Earned Wage Access & Benefits Finance (FSAGALAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Instant Payouts & Earned Wage Access (EWA) (FSAMAKAM), Pay Card Programs & Earned Wage Access (EWA) Administration (BPACAIAK)
Keywords
Where NowPay is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cairo
- HQ country
- Egypt
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices2 records
Markets served
NowPay business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Earned Wage Access Transaction Model: NowPay fronts the money for salary advances to employees. The company recoups the advance amount when the employer processes payroll. Revenue is generated through transaction fees or interest on the advanced amounts. The service is provided free to employers with no change in employer cash flow.
- Employer-Paid Wellness Platform: The platform is offered free to corporations (zero liability for employers). NowPay generates revenue from the float on salary advances and potentially from merchant partnerships in the shopping network.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free employer platform with NowPay funding advances |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
NowPay product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NowPay provides a mobile-first financial wellness platform whose core service is Earned Wage Access, enabling employees to withdraw accrued salaries before payday. The platform is offered free to employers, with NowPay fronting the advanced wages and recouping through payroll deduction. It bundles ancillary services in the app, including instant bill payments, gold and silver investment, shopping installments from a network of merchants, and peer-to-peer money transfers.
Product overview
NowPay is a Cairo-based fintech company operating as a unified financial wellness platform. The core product is the NowPay Salary Advance service, an earned wage access solution that allows employees to access their accrued salaries before payday. This core platform is complemented by several integrated modules including Gold and Silver Investment, Instant Bill Payments, Shopping Plans (installments), and Money Transfers. The company has expanded internationally through NowAccess, a joint venture with Saudi Arabia's Tas'heel targeting the Kingdom's market. The service is free for corporations with zero liability and no change in employer cash flow, as NowPay fronts the money.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- NowPay Salary Advance Primary Earned Wage Access service that lets employees of partner employers withdraw accrued salary at any time before payday, with the employer repaying NowPay at the next payroll cycle. Targets working professionals experiencing financial stress and corporate clients seeking an employee financial wellness benefit.
- NowAccess Saudi Arabian market offering of NowPay's earned wage access and financial wellness platform, delivered via a joint venture with Tas'heel. Provides Sharia-compliant payroll-linked advances and financial solutions to Saudi employers and employees, including the large Egyptian expatriate workforce in the Kingdom. Currently in market-entry phase.
Quantifiable outcome
- Free for corporations with zero liability and no change in employer cash flow
Companies that use NowPay
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
NowPay technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
NowPay partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Tas'heelcoreTas'heel, the consumer finance arm of United International Holding Company, invested $20 million for a 75% stake in NowAccess, a newly established joint venture targeting the Saudi market. NowPay retains 25% of the venture. The capital funds a Saudi-based engineering and operations team, product localization, and the venture's commercial launch. Tas'heel provides its Sharia-compliant balance sheet and nationwide operational footprint of over 310 service locations to deliver payroll, HR, and financial solutions to employers and employees across the Kingdom.
- TradelineminorShopping network partner in NowPay's merchant ecosystem allowing employees to shop with installment options
- XPRSminorShopping network partner in NowPay's merchant ecosystem
- Elaraby GroupminorShopping network partner and enterprise customer in NowPay's merchant ecosystem
- FathallaminorShopping network partner in NowPay's merchant ecosystem
- DreamminorShopping network partner in NowPay's merchant ecosystem
- Dubai PhoneminorShopping network partner in NowPay's merchant ecosystem
- KabbaniminorShopping network partner in NowPay's merchant ecosystem
- SamsungminorShopping network partner in NowPay's merchant ecosystem
- XiaomiminorShopping network partner in NowPay's merchant ecosystem
- BoschminorShopping network partner in NowPay's merchant ecosystem
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
NowPay competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Khazna: Egyptian fintech offering earned wage access, micro-savings, and financial services to salaried employees through employer partnerships. Direct Egyptian-market competitor to NowPay.
Others
Direct peers
- Payactiv: US-headquartered Earned Wage Access platform offering salary advances, bill pay, and financial wellness tools via a B2B2C employer model. Most directly comparable to NowPay in core product, target customer, and free-for-employer GTM.
- ZayZoon: North American EWA platform delivering earned wage access and financial wellness tools through employer partnerships. Comparable in product scope (pay advances + bill pay) and B2B2C sales motion.
- Even: US-based earned wage access and budgeting app focused on hourly and frontline workers via employer integrations. Directly comparable in core EWA mechanics and employer-distribution model.
- DailyPay: One of the largest US EWA providers, offering on-demand pay access integrated with employer payroll systems. Closely comparable in employer-led distribution model and float-based advance economics.
- WageAccess: EWA provider focused on employer-distributed earned wage access and financial wellness tools for hourly and frontline workers. Directly comparable in product offering and target segment.
Emerging players
- Telda: Egyptian digital banking app targeting salaried employees with payments, savings, and financial management features. Adjacent competitor pursuing the same employee financial wellness segment in NowPay's core market.
- Tabby: MENA-headquartered BNPL and consumer finance platform expanding into broader financial wellness including employee benefits. Comparable as a regional consumer fintech pursuing employer-side distribution.
Broad incumbents
- Gusto: US payroll and HR platform that has added Earned Wage Access and financial wellness tools. Comparable as a broader payroll/HR incumbent embedding EWA capabilities into its platform.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
NowPay social profiles
Digital presenceNowPay financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NowPay leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
NowPay subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
NowPay funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors18 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NowPay M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about NowPay
What does NowPay do?
NowPay provides a mobile-first financial wellness platform whose core service is Earned Wage Access, enabling employees to withdraw accrued salaries before payday. The platform is offered free to employers, with NowPay fronting the advanced wages and recouping through payroll deduction. It bundles ancillary services in the app, including instant bill payments, gold and silver investment, shopping installments from a network of merchants, and peer-to-peer money transfers.
Is NowPay a public or private company?
NowPay is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was NowPay founded?
NowPay was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is NowPay based?
NowPay is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt, in the Africa region.
How does NowPay make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Earned Wage Access Transaction Model is the primary driver. The others are employer-Paid Wellness Platform.
Who are NowPay's main competitors?
Khazna is listed as a regional player. Dayforce is listed as an others. Direct peers are Payactiv, ZayZoon, Even, DailyPay and WageAccess. Emerging players are Telda and Tabby. Gusto is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does NowPay have an API?
No public API is recorded for NowPay.
What industry is NowPay in?
NowPay's product category is Earned Wage Access. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAGALAI, Embedded Payroll, Earned Wage Access & Benefits Finance, with a secondary code of FSAMAKAM, Instant Payouts & Earned Wage Access (EWA). Its NAICS code is 522320 and its SIC code is 6172.