What Sasai Fintech does

Sasai Fintech is a South African private fintech subsidiary of Cassava Technologies, owned by Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa. It operates a mobile-first social payments and digital marketplace platform combining cross-border remittances, in-chat payments, content monetization, and bill-splitting into a single super-app. The company is licensed by the South African Reserve Bank as a Category 3 ADLA holder and distributes through EcoCash and Econet retail outlets in Zimbabwe, a network of more than 150,000 outlets across South Africa for cash funding and pickup, and partner retail brands including Pick n Pay, Spar, Engen, Kazang, and Smartcall. From South Africa and the UK, the platform advertises free instant transfers to 20+ countries including Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, China, Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Malawi, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

The product portfolio centers on the Sasai App as the primary consumer-facing interface, complemented by a dedicated Sasai Money Transfer web and USSD service, a co-branded Western Union international money transfer app for South Africa launched in March 2026, and the EcoCash Super App launched in April 2026 at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair. The technology stack is a Payments-as-a-Service platform integrating USDC stablecoin via Circle's onchain infrastructure for cross-border settlement, and Western Union's 200+ country payout network for last-mile cash pickup, alongside bank and Foreign Currency Account delivery through Steward Bank. Distribution spans self-serve mobile apps, web, USSD, retail agents, and a B2B Payments-as-a-Service channel targeting remittance operators and enterprises across 30+ African markets.

The revenue model is transaction-fee and FX-margin based, with consumer-facing transfers to Zimbabwe advertised as free to drive acquisition, and monetization shifting toward FX spreads, premium services, B2B infrastructure fees, USDC settlement rails, and ecosystem revenue streams such as tips and content monetization. GTM motion is primarily product-led growth on mobile app stores, supplemented by channel partnerships through EcoCash, Econet, and Western Union, and an emerging enterprise sales motion targeting remittance operators and financial institutions. Sasai Fintech has not disclosed standalone revenue, ARR, or transaction volume figures, and operates without disclosed external funding rounds as a wholly-owned business unit of Cassava Technologies.

Name

Sasai Fintech

Legal name

Sasai Fintech

Website

https://sasai.global

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Sasai Fintech is a South African mobile payments and remittance platform that operates a super-app combining cross-border money transfers, in-chat payments, and financial services, serving African consumers and diaspora remittance senders from South Africa and the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cross-border Remittances / Mobile Payments

NAICS

Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (522)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Cross-Border & FX Payments Platforms (BPAMAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multi-Currency Accounts, Wallets & IBAN Services (FSAMAIAG), Cross-Border FX, Multi-Currency & Treasury for Payments (FSAGABAK), P2P Transfers & Remittances Platforms (BPAMAFAE)

Keywords

• Cross-border remittances
• Mobile payments
• Digital wallet
• Social payments
• Super app

Headquarters

HQ city

Johannesburg

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Remittance Transaction Fees: Fees charged for cross-border money transfers from South Africa to Zimbabwe and other countries
2. Cross-border Transfer Services: Free transfers to Zimbabwe advertised with real-time exchange rates; monetization through volume and currency exchange margins

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sasai Fintech operates a mobile-first super app and Payments-as-a-Service platform that enables cross-border money transfers, in-chat social payments, mobile wallet services, and content monetization across 20+ countries. Its offerings include the Sasai App for consumers, Sasai Money Transfer for South Africa-to-Zimbabwe remittances under a South African Reserve Bank Category 3 ADLA licence, a co-branded Western Union remittance app, and USDC stablecoin-powered cross-border infrastructure through its partnership with Circle.

Product overview

Sasai Fintech operates a multi-product fintech ecosystem centered on the Sasai App as the primary consumer-facing platform, complemented by the dedicated Sasai Money Transfer web and mobile service for cross-border remittances (South Africa to Zimbabwe). The company also offers co-branded products through partnerships, including the Western Union International Money Transfer App for South Africa and the EcoCash Super App. All products share common infrastructure for payments, mobile wallets, and retail outlet networks, with the portfolio spanning consumer social payments, B2C remittances, and B2B payment services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EcoCash Super App: An upgraded all-in-one super app combining payments, chat, and lifestyle services including in-chat payments, cross-border money transfers, content monetization, and bill splitting features.

Products and services

• Sasai App Unified social payments and lifestyle mobile application combining in-chat payments, cross-border money transfers to 20+ countries, mobile wallet, content monetization with tips and donations, bill splitting, and chat messaging for African mobile-first consumers and the diaspora.
• Sasai Money Transfer Licensed cross-border money transfer service enabling users in South Africa to send money to Zimbabwe and other countries with instant delivery, multi-channel payouts (bank account, FCA, cash pickup at retail outlets), and web, mobile, and USSD initiation channels.
• Western Union International Money Transfer App (South Africa) Co-branded international money transfer mobile app that combines Western Union's global payout network with Sasai's Payments-as-a-Service technology, enabling South African users to transfer funds to bank accounts, wallets, or collect cash at hundreds of thousands of retail locations worldwide.
• EcoCash Super App Upgraded all-in-one super app combining payments, chat, and lifestyle services including in-chat payments, cross-border money transfers, content monetization, and bill splitting, representing a strategic evolution from the EcoCash transactional mobile wallet into an integrated digital platform.
• USDC Stablecoin Cross-border Payments (Circle Partnership) Stablecoin-powered cross-border payment capability leveraging USDC and Circle's onchain infrastructure to reduce costs, friction, and settlement times for business payments, cross-border transfers, remittance operator support, and mobile wallet solutions across Africa.

Quantifiable outcome

• Remittance fees often exceed 7% in Sub-Saharan Africa, which the partnership aims to reduce
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Circle Internet GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2026Circle and Sasai Fintech announced a collaboration to accelerate USDC stablecoin adoption and expand internet-native financial infrastructure across Africa. The partnership integrates USDC and Circle's onchain infrastructure into Sasai's existing payment platforms including business payments, cross-border transfers, remittance operator support, and mobile wallet solutions. The collaboration aims to reduce costs, friction, and settlement times while prioritizing regulatory compliance.
• Western UnioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 4 March 2026Western Union and Sasai Fintech launched a co-branded international money transfer mobile app for South Africa. The app combines Western Union's global network spanning 200+ countries with Sasai's Payments-as-a-Service technology. Users can transfer funds to billions of bank accounts and wallets worldwide or collect cash at hundreds of thousands of retail locations, funded through Sasai's network of over 150,000 outlets.
• EcoCashcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEcoCash partnership enables cash pickup and deposit services through EcoCash outlets across Zimbabwe, integrated into the Sasai Money Transfer service for beneficiary payouts.
• EconetcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEconet ecosystem partnership provides cash pickup at Econet franchise shops and outlets, as well as integration with Econet's mobile network for service delivery.
• Steward BankminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSteward Bank branches serve as cash pickup locations for Sasai Money Transfer recipients in Zimbabwe.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• WorldRemit: Global digital cross-border remittance platform serving African corridors (including South Africa and Zimbabwe) with mobile wallet and bank deposit payouts. Directly comparable to Sasai on cross-border consumer remittance, mobile-first UX, and multi-country payout network.
• Chipper Cash: Pan-African cross-border payments app offering free P2P transfers and remittances across African countries. Closely comparable on mobile-first African P2P, free transfer model, and in-app social/payments UX.
• Remitly: US-headquartered digital remittance company with strong Africa-bound corridor volumes from the diaspora. Comparable to Sasai on mobile-first cross-border transfers, freemium pricing, and payout network breadth.
• Sendwave: Africa-focused digital remittance app offering fee-free transfers to multiple African countries. Directly comparable on free-pricing model, Africa-bound corridors, and mobile-first consumer remittance UX.
• Mukuru: Africa-focused remittance and mobile wallet operator with strong ZA-ZW and SADC corridor presence. Comparable to Sasai on corridor overlap, cash-pickup retail network, and licensed remittance positioning.

Emerging players

• Onafriq (formerly MFS Africa): Pan-African mobile money interoperability and remittance hub connecting wallets and operators across the continent. Comparable to Sasai's PaaS positioning, EcoCash/Econet distribution model, and Africa cross-border ambitions.
• Flutterwave: Pan-African payments infrastructure company enabling cross-border and B2B payments for businesses. Comparable to Sasai's B2B PaaS offering (USDC integration for enterprises) and African cross-border focus.
• NALA (formerly Beam): African-focused remittance app with mobile-first UX and competitive pricing on UK/EU-to-Africa corridors. Comparable on diaspora-to-Africa remittance focus and modern app experience overlapping Sasai's UK-to-Africa flows.

Broad incumbents

• M-Pesa (Safaricom/Vodacom): Dominant African mobile money platform with cross-border transfers, merchant payments, and a super-app expansion strategy. Comparable as a broad incumbent in mobile money across East and Southern Africa where Sasai also operates.
• Western Union Digital: Global incumbent in cross-border money transfer with extensive agent network. Comparable as both a competitor (in the same corridors) and a partner (co-branded app with Sasai), making it a hybrid incumbent/peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Sasai Fintech