Sochitel
Sochitel is a London-headquartered global prepayments platform offering a single API to 15,000+ digital products across 160+ countries, enabling banks, fintechs, and mobile operators to distribute mobile top-ups, data bundles, e-SIMs, digital vouchers, and prepaid utilities to 300M+ end consumers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersIslington, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Sochitel does
Sochitel is a London-headquartered global prepayments platform that enables banks, financial institutions, mobile operators, and corporate clients to offer mobile top-ups, data bundles, e-SIMs, digital e-gift vouchers, and prepaid utilities to end users through a single API connection. Founded approximately 2006–2009, the company has expanded into a multi-country operation with offices in the UK, US, and ten African markets, serving partners in 160+ countries and reaching 300M+ end consumers through 50+ partner banks, 70,000+ retail outlets, and integrations with major mobile money platforms.
The core technology is a single-endpoint API providing access to 15,000+ digital products across 450+ mobile operators, processing over 2.5 million transactions daily. The platform is complemented by an Electronic Voucher System (EVS) for prepaid voucher lifecycle management, a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) offering, and the ARTX web/app portal that supports white-label and reseller distribution. Consumer-facing channels include the OST mobile app and Overseastopup.com, while the B2B layer extends to API integrations embedded inside partner banking applications and fintech wallets. The architecture is fundamentally an aggregator rather than a vertically integrated carrier or processor.
Sochitel generates revenue primarily through transaction-based fees on airtime, data, voucher, and utility recharges, supplemented by quote-based enterprise API contracts (typically multi-year) and affiliate/referral commissions paid to ARTX reseller partners. The customer base spans tier-1 African banks (UBA, Access Bank, Stanbic IBTC), leading African fintechs (Flutterwave, Interswitch, Kuda, PalmPay, Moniepoint, PiggyVest), and major mobile operators (MTN, Airtel, Orange, Vodafone, Safaricom). Since 2021, the company has operated as a majority-owned subsidiary of NYSE-listed IDT Corporation, which provides strategic capital, telecom infrastructure, and global distribution reach. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.
Sochitel firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sochitel
- Legal name
- Sochitel UK Ltd
- Website
- https://sochitel.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Sochitel is a London-headquartered global prepayments platform offering a single API to 15,000+ digital products across 160+ countries, enabling banks, fintechs, and mobile operators to distribute mobile top-ups, data bundles, e-SIMs, digital vouchers, and prepaid utilities to 300M+ end consumers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sochitel industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Prepayments Platform
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Payment Orchestration Platforms (FSAGABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Merchant-of-Record (MoR) & Payment Facilitation (PayFac) Infrastructure (FSAGABAE), Payment Gateways & Orchestration (BPAMAFAA), International Money Transfer Operators (MTOs) (FSAMAIAE), Helpdesk & End-User Support Services (BPAEABAB)
Keywords
Where Sochitel is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Islington
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices10 records
Markets served
Sochitel business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- API/Platform Services: Revenue generated through API integration fees and transaction-based pricing for banks, financial institutions, and corporate clients accessing the platform to offer digital products to their end users.
- Prepaid Airtime and Data: Revenue from facilitating mobile top-ups, data bundle purchases, and e-SIM services across 450+ mobile operators globally. Processes millions of daily transactions.
- Digital Vouchers and E-Gift Cards: Revenue from providing e-gift voucher offerings through API platform, enabling customers to send personalized instant vouchers for various brands including iTunes, Amazon, Deliveroo, Jumia, Apple, IKEA, TKMax, Xbox, and PlayStation.
- Prepaid Utilities: Revenue from utility recharge services including DSTV, Canal+, Bet9ja, Boomplay, Startimes, GOtv, and LEC through banking applications and other platforms.
- Reseller Partner Commissions: Partners and resellers earn commission through the ARTX portal by building networks and distributing digital products to their customers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Enterprise API Services |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Consumer Direct (OST App & Overseastopup.com) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Partner/Reseller Portal (ARTX) |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels5 records
Sochitel product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sochitel operates a global prepayments platform providing a single API endpoint that enables banks, financial institutions, fintechs, mobile operators, resellers, and corporate clients to integrate and distribute digital products (mobile top-ups, data bundles, e-SIMs, digital vouchers, and prepaid utilities) to end users across 160+ countries. The platform processes 2.5M+ daily transactions, supports 15,000+ digital products across 450+ mobile operators, and reaches 300M+ end consumers through partner banking, mobile money, and retail distribution channels.
Product overview
Sochitel operates as a Global Prepayments Platform offering a unified ecosystem of digital products and services. The core platform provides a single API connection enabling access to 15,000+ digital products including mobile top-ups, data bundles, e-Sims, digital vouchers, and prepaid utilities. Consumer-facing offerings include the OST Mobile App and Overseastopup.com for direct end-user transactions. Business solutions comprise API Services, Electronic Voucher System (EVS), and Platform as a Service (PaaS) for enterprise integration. Partner solutions include the ARTX Web & App Portal for reseller and white-label distribution. The platform serves banks, financial service providers, corporate clients, and mobile money ecosystems across 160+ countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Overseastopup: Consumer-facing platform for international mobile top-ups, data bundles, and prepaid utilities available via web and mobile app.
- OST (Overseas Top-Up)
- ARTX
- Nomiworld
Products and services
- API Services Single end-point API enabling banks, financial institutions, fintech companies, resellers, corporates, loyalty and rewards programs, and e-commerce marketplaces to access real-time digital products including mobile top-ups, data bundles, digital vouchers, prepaid utilities, and digital education. Access to 15,000+ digital products through one API connection.
- Electronic Voucher System (EVS) Comprehensive platform for total care of prepaid voucher lifecycle functions, inclusive of distribution management. Service providers and merchants can leverage vouchers as complementary and strategic payment resources. Supports various deployment and commercial models.
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) Leverages processing platforms to allow businesses to quickly and easily go to market with digital products without the complexity of buying and maintaining software and infrastructure or managing back-office operations.
- ARTX Web & App Portal Web and portal allowing partners to distribute digital products and services including mobile airtime, data, e-gift cards, and bill payments. Reseller model allows earning commission and building reseller networks; white-label version available for internal business distribution.
- OST Mobile App
Quantifiable outcome
- 300M+ end consumers reached through partner distribution networks
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Sochitel
Customer profileNamed customers22 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Sochitel technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Sochitel partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- MTNcoreMTN is one of the 450+ mobile operators available on Sochitel's platform, enabling mobile top-up and data bundle distribution to MTN customers across operating markets.
- Airtel AfricacoreAirtel Africa mobile operator connection on Sochitel's platform for airtime and data distribution across African markets.
- OrangecoreOrange mobile operator available on Sochitel's platform for digital product distribution including airtime and data bundles.
- VodafonecoreVodafone operator integration for mobile top-up and data services through Sochitel's platform.
- SafaricomcoreSafaricom M-Pesa integration enabling mobile money and airtime services through Sochitel's platform.
- M-PesacoreM-Pesa mobile money platform integration providing digital payments and airtime access through Sochitel services.
- MoMocoreMobile money services integration enabling digital product access and mobile recharge through Sochitel platform.
- UBAcoreUnited Bank for Africa partners with Sochitel to offer digital products and mobile top-up services to bank customers across Africa.
- Stanbic IBTCcoreStanbic IBTC provides digital product distribution to customers through Sochitel's API platform.
- Access BankcoreAccess Bank offers mobile recharge and utility services to customers via Sochitel integration.
- FlutterwavecorePayment infrastructure integration for digital product distribution and services.
- InterswitchcorePayment switching and digital product distribution partnership.
- KudacoreDigital bank integrating Sochitel's digital products for airtime and data top-ups within its banking app.
- PalmPaycoreFintech partner offering mobile money and digital product distribution through Sochitel.
- MoniepointcoreFinancial services provider with prepaid utilities and airtime distribution through Sochitel.
- JumiacoreE-commerce platform partner offering digital voucher and product distribution through Sochitel integration.
- OnafriqcoreCross-border payment and digital services partner with digital product integration.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sochitel competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- DTOne: DTOne is a global mobile value transfer network that enables cross-border airtime, data, and mobile money transfers through a single API, directly competing with Sochitel in the digital prepaid aggregation space across emerging markets.
- TransferTo: TransferTo operates a global mobile top-up and digital value transfer platform connecting mobile operators, banks, and digital players, with comparable scope to Sochitel across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
- Ding: Ding is a leading international mobile top-up platform allowing consumers and businesses to send airtime to 160+ countries, directly comparable to Sochitel's Overseastopup and OST consumer offerings.
- Recharge.com: Recharge.com (formerly PayCenter) is a European-based digital prepaid products platform offering mobile top-ups, gift cards, and payment services globally, comparable in product breadth and B2B/B2C model to Sochitel.
- Ezetop: Ezetop is a digital prepaid and mobile value transfer provider serving emerging markets, with similar operator and bank distribution partnerships as Sochitel across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
- Prepay Solutions: Prepay Solutions provides prepaid product platforms, card issuing, and digital distribution services to banks and retailers, closely aligned with Sochitel's electronic voucher system (EVS) and banking API offerings.
Broad incumbents
- Comviva: Comviva is an established global provider of mobile money, digital financial services, and value-added services solutions to telcos, overlapping with Sochitel's mobile operator-focused digital distribution offerings.
Emerging players
- Africa's Talking: Africa's Talking is an African developer-focused communications platform offering airtime, SMS, and payments APIs, with overlapping airtime distribution capabilities and shared customers (Africa's Talking is also a Sochitel partner).
- Onafriq (formerly MFS Africa): Onafriq operates a pan-African mobile money and cross-border payment network connecting wallets and operators, with overlapping fintech/bank distribution channels and partnership overlap with Sochitel.
- Tring: Tring is an emerging digital prepaid products platform offering mobile top-up, gift cards, and utility payments across multiple markets, with comparable product breadth to Sochitel's consumer-facing offerings.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sochitel social profiles
Digital presenceSochitel financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sochitel leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Sochitel subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Sochitel funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sochitel M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sochitel
What does Sochitel do?
Sochitel operates a global prepayments platform providing a single API endpoint that enables banks, financial institutions, fintechs, mobile operators, resellers, and corporate clients to integrate and distribute digital products (mobile top-ups, data bundles, e-SIMs, digital vouchers, and prepaid utilities) to end users across 160+ countries. The platform processes 2.5M+ daily transactions, supports 15,000+ digital products across 450+ mobile operators, and reaches 300M+ end consumers through partner banking, mobile money, and retail distribution channels.
Is Sochitel a public or private company?
Sochitel is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Sochitel founded?
Sochitel was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sochitel based?
Sochitel is headquartered in Islington, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Sochitel make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. API/Platform Services are the primary driver. The others are prepaid Airtime and Data, digital Vouchers and E-Gift Cards, prepaid Utilities and reseller Partner Commissions.
Who are Sochitel's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are DTOne, TransferTo, Ding, Recharge.com, Ezetop and Prepay Solutions. Comviva is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Africa's Talking, Onafriq (formerly MFS Africa) and Tring.
Does Sochitel have an API?
Yes. Single end-point API that can be easily integrated to allow businesses to access real-time digital products including mobile top-ups, data bundles, digital vouchers, prepaid utilities, and digital education. The API empowers banks, resellers, corporates, loyalty and rewards, e-commerce marketplaces, and financial institutions to enhance and increase the value they offer their end users. Access to 15,000+ digital products through one API connection.
What industry is Sochitel in?
Sochitel's product category is Digital Prepayments Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAGABAA, Payment Orchestration Platforms, with a secondary code of FSAGABAE, Merchant-of-Record (MoR) & Payment Facilitation (PayFac) Infrastructure. Its NAICS code is 518 and its SIC code is 7370.