Fintech Association of South Africa

What Fintech Association of South Africa does

Fintech Association of South Africa (FINASA) is a registered South African non-profit industry association (Reg No. 2020/496935/08; NPO number 283-814), headquartered in Cape Town at Darter Studios, Gardens. Its stated mandate is to serve as the unified voice of the country's fintech ecosystem, connecting fintech companies, banks, regulators, investors, and innovators around responsible innovation, policy influence, and financial inclusion. According to the association, its reach spans 250+ member organisations and 1,500+ ecosystem participants, alongside 10+ regulator and government partners including the National Treasury.

The association's offering is organised around five recurring products: a tiered membership programme (Protea Free, Gold, Platinum, Partners); five regulatory working groups covering AI Regulation, BNPL, Digital Assets, Payments Ecosystem Modernisation, and E-Gambling; the annual F3 Fintech Festival & Awards in Cape Town; the Industry Spotlight publication series analysing digital-finance expansion; and the KasiTech financial-inclusion initiative. The Africa Fintech and Banking Summit in Johannesburg extends the convening footprint across the continent. Distribution is self-serve via the finasa.org.za website, supplemented by LinkedIn and X organic channels, email newsletters, and member-facing virtual sessions.

FINASA operates as a membership-based non-profit; revenue is not publicly disclosed and is derived from annual subscription tiers. With a stated 1–10 employees, no disclosed funding, no parent company, and no commercial technology product, the entity is structurally a coordination and policy-influence platform rather than a venture-backed technology company. Co-founders Andres Felipe Perez, Kagisho Dichabe, and Darren Franks are listed in leadership materials.

Name

Fintech Association of South Africa

Legal name

FinTech Association of South Africa

Website

https://finasa.org.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fintech Association of South Africa (FINASA) is a Cape Town-based, registered non-profit industry association serving as the unified voice of the South African fintech ecosystem, connecting fintechs, banks, regulators, investors and innovators through tiered membership, working groups, the F3 Festival, and policy publications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Association / Trade Body

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Fintech & Payments Partner / ISO Referral Networks (FSAEAMAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

SME, Microfinance & Financial Inclusion Facilities (BPADACAI)

Keywords

• Fintech industry association
• Regulatory working groups
• Industry membership program
• Financial inclusion initiatives
• Policy advocacy fintech

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

FINASA operates a membership-based industry association for the South African fintech ecosystem, connecting fintech companies, regulators, banks, investors, and innovators through tiered membership (Protea Free, Gold, Platinum, Partners), regulatory working groups on AI, BNPL, Digital Assets, Payments, and E-Gambling, industry reports (Industry Spotlight series), the annual F3 Fintech Festival & Awards, and the KasiTech financial inclusion initiative.

Product overview

FINASA is a membership-based industry association for the South African fintech ecosystem, not a product company with commercial offerings. The organization connects fintech companies, regulators, banks, investors, and innovators through membership programs, working groups, events, and publications. Its core offerings include a tiered membership program (Protea Free, Protea Gold, Protea Platinum, Protea Partners), the annual F3 Fintech Festival & Awards, the Industry Spotlight publication series, the KasiTech financial inclusion initiative, and various regulatory working groups covering AI, BNPL, digital assets, payments, and e-gambling.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Program Tiered membership program offering fintech companies, banks, infrastructure providers, investors, and innovators access to working groups, regulatory engagement, industry reports, and networking within the South African fintech ecosystem.
• F3 Fintech Festival & Awards Annual flagship fintech festival and awards ceremony bringing together Africa's financial ecosystem to connect, collaborate, and shape the future of financial services.
• Industry Spotlight Industry reports and publications including the South African Fintech Industry Spotlight series analyzing digital finance expansion and ecosystem trends.
• Regulatory Working Groups Collaborative industry working groups addressing fintech regulation including AI Regulation, E-Gambling, Payments Ecosystem Modernisation, BNPL Regulation, and Digital Assets.
• KasiTech Initiative focused on fintech development and financial inclusion, particularly targeting underserved communities in South Africa.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Warm Nest EnterprisecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Partnership focused on driving financial inclusion and rural economic development in South Africa. This collaboration represents FINASA's commitment to expanding access to digital finance beyond urban centers and supporting underbanked communities.
• National TreasurycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative engagement through Money Smart Week initiative and broader regulatory policy discussions. National Treasury is a key government partner for FINASA in shaping financial services policy and promoting financial literacy.
• TransUnionminorOthersCredit bureau involved in BNPL regulatory discussions. FINASA members are cooperating with TransUnion on credit bureau reporting matters regarding BNPL visibility in South Africa's formal credit reporting system.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hong Kong Fintech Association: Hong Kong's fintech industry association bridging fintechs, regulators, and traditional finance. Comparable to FINASA in structure and mandate as a national fintech body with strong regulatory engagement.
• Innovate Finance: UK-based industry association representing the British fintech ecosystem, convening fintechs, banks, regulators, and policymakers. Directly comparable to FINASA as a national fintech trade body with working groups, events, and policy advocacy.
• FinTechNZ: New Zealand's fintech industry association supporting fintech growth through policy advocacy, events, and ecosystem collaboration. Comparable to FINASA as a smaller-market fintech association with a similar national convening role.
• Singapore FinTech Association: Singapore's national fintech industry association connecting fintech firms, financial institutions, regulators, and investors. Closely mirrors FINASA's structure as a membership-based body facilitating regulatory dialogue and ecosystem collaboration.
• FinTech Australia: Australian fintech industry association representing fintech startups, banks, investors, and government. Comparable to FINASA as a membership-driven body advocating for fintech policy and convening the domestic ecosystem.

Regional players

• Africa Fintech Network: Pan-African network of fintech stakeholders operating across multiple African countries. Comparable to FINASA as a continental fintech coordination body, with a broader geographic scope than FINASA's current South African focus.
• Fintech Association of Kenya: Kenyan fintech industry association convening fintechs, banks, and regulators in East Africa's most mature fintech market. Comparable as an African fintech association with similar policy advocacy and ecosystem-building mandate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/twitter_za
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fintechsa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Fintech Association of South Africa