Tazama Project

What Tazama Project does

Tazama is an open-source, real-time transaction monitoring platform developed for financial institutions, payment switches, central banks, and regulators — with a deliberate focus on emerging markets in Africa and Asia where fraud in instant payment systems is acute. The core product is a rules-based, forward-chaining inference engine packaged as microservices with Docker containerization; it ingests transactions (including ISO 20022 messages), evaluates them through multiple processors, and combines results into typology scores that drive real-time interdiction, blocking, or investigation actions. Tazama v2.1.0 (December 2024) added Condition Management, KeyCloak-based API security, multi-currency support, enhanced egress integration, a Demo UI, and DockerHub image publishing, complementing the v2.0 foundation released in February 2024. A modular AI layer assists with rule recommendation, threshold calibration, and alert triage to reduce false positives, while the rules-based engine remains the primary detection mechanism and is designed to be explainable to regulators.

Tazama was originally developed under the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Level One Project and transitioned in February 2024 to a Linux Foundation project under LF Charities, with the Gates Foundation remaining the primary funder. The project is governed via a Directed Fund membership program offering Premier ($200,000/year), General ($5,000–$75,000/year, headcount-based), and Associate ($0) tiers that confer governance rights, board seats, and roadmap influence. Software is distributed free of charge via GitHub and DockerHub; revenue derives almost entirely from membership fees, with implementation and customization services delivered through a network of system integrators (WiredIn, BBD, AOGroup), strategic technology partners (Sybrin, Paysys Labs, Algoqube, FNA, ThitsaWorks), and policy partners (IIDiA). The platform's first production reference deployment is RSwitch (Rwanda's national e-payment switch), implemented jointly with Mojaloop and WiredIn in late 2025. Recognition as a UN-endorsed Digital Public Good (September 2024) under SDG8 and SDG16 reinforces credibility with public-sector buyers across low- and middle-income countries.

Name

Tazama Project

Legal name

LF Charities (Linux Foundation Charities)

Website

https://tazama.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tazama is an open-source, Linux Foundation-governed real-time transaction monitoring platform that detects fraud and AML typologies for central banks, payment switches, and financial institutions, primarily across emerging markets in Africa and Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Transaction Monitoring Software

NAICS

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

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Fraud Detection & Transaction Monitoring (FSAMALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

AML Transaction Monitoring & Typology Detection (FSAMAMAB), Fraud Operations, Case Management & Investigations (FSAMALAK), Case Management, Investigations & SAR/STR Filing (FSAMAMAF), Payments Fraud & Chargeback Prevention (HDADALAE)

Keywords

• Open-source transaction monitoring
• Real-time fraud detection
• AML typology monitoring
• Payment fraud prevention
• Digital public good

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Open Source Software (No Direct Revenue): Tazama is free, open-source software available for public consumption at no charge. The software itself does not generate direct revenue. Implementation requires hardware/cloud services and potentially developer time for custom rules. Organizations may hire system integrator partners or use internal resources.
2. Membership Program: Tazama operates a Directed Fund membership program with multiple tiers. Premier Members pay $200,000 annually for direct Governing Board voting seat and logo recognition. General Members pay based on headcount ($5,000-$75,000 annually). Associate Members (pre-approved non-profits, open source projects, government entities) pay $0.
3. Directed Fund Contributions: The Directed Fund advances open, community-driven financial crime detection and ensures platform long-term sustainability. Members gain governance rights, visibility, and influence over project roadmap.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Tazama is a free, open-source real-time transaction monitoring platform that helps financial institutions and payment ecosystems detect fraud and associated money-laundering typologies, reduce false positives, and act instantly. The platform uses a rules-based forward-chaining inference engine that processes transactions in real time, combining results from multiple processors into typology scores to drive interdiction, blocking, or investigation actions. It includes low-code rule building, AI-assisted calibration, multi-currency support, ISO 20022-compliant APIs, and end-to-end case management with JupyterLab-based analytics.

Product overview

Tazama is an open-source, modular real-time transaction monitoring platform built to support financial service providers of any size — from small providers running one or two transactions per day to national payment switches running thousands per second. The core platform consists of the Tazama Framework (rules-based, real-time, explainable fraud detection engine) complemented by Training programs. The modular ecosystem allows organizations to start with real-time transaction monitoring and typology scoring, then expand with AI-assisted calibration, alert triage, investigation workflows, and analytics as needs mature. Tazama supports ISO 20022 compliant messaging via its Transaction Monitoring Service API, with a Payment Platform Adapter enabling non-ISO20022 systems to interface with the platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tazama Framework Rules-based, real-time fraud detection engine that processes transactions in sub-second time. The system is explainable to regulators: when a transaction is blocked, operators know exactly which rule was broken, which grouping created the pattern, and why, without requiring AI training. Designed for financial institutions, central banks, payment switches, and regulators in emerging markets.
• Tazama Training Training programs covering system operation for implementing, navigating, and operating the Tazama transaction monitoring software, as well as rule management for managing and updating detection rules and typologies. Targeted at technical teams and operators deploying Tazama.

Quantifiable outcome

• Open-source, free real-time fraud detection available to financial institutions regardless of size or location
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability3 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, flagship, core and minor.

• WiredInstrategicImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 5 December 2025Leading African technology and integration firm. Served as primary integration and implementation partner for first joint deployment of Tazama and Mojaloop with RSwitch in Rwanda. Led systems integration, local customization, and deployment for Rwanda's instant payments environment.
• ThitsaWorksstrategicImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 24 November 2025Award-winning fintech company headquartered in Singapore specializing in digital financial infrastructure. Serves as regional implementation and integration partner for Tazama, assisting scheme operators and financial service providers with integration, configuration, workflow development, and training for Mojaloop-based payment systems.
• Financial Network Analytics (FNA)strategicTechnology or Integration · 1 September 2025Deep technology firm focused on making financial systems safer and more efficient. FNA provides its Fraud Portal to Tazama implementers - a real-time AI-powered cross-rail and cross-bank utility for fraud detection, tracing, and prevention. Collaboration combines FNA's Money Trails with Tazama's real-time scenario-based detection.
• Paysys LabsstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 August 2025Karachi-based leader in secure and innovative payment solutions. Partnership combines Tazama's real-time fraud monitoring technology with Paysys Labs' expertise in digital payments to empower financial institutions, regulators, and payment providers in emerging markets. Paysys Labs contributed code to Tazama 2.1.0 for enhanced egress integration.
• AlgoqubestrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 August 2025Technology and consulting firm with expertise in modern payments, engineering, and human capital development. Partnership focuses on helping inclusive instant payment systems implement real-time fraud detection, securing card and infrastructure data, and building capacity within local markets through technical training and advisory services.
• BBDstrategicImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 6 August 2025Leading global software development company known for delivering complex systems across financial services, payments, and other critical industries. Partnership accelerates deployment of trusted payment infrastructure and fraud prevention tools across Africa and beyond.
• SybrinstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2025Leading software solutions provider and one of the original development partners of Tazama. Sybrin helped architect, develop, and deploy Tazama's core capabilities. Expanded partnership deepens involvement in development, technical leadership, and community outreach, promoting wider adoption across Africa.
• AOGroupstrategicImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 August 2025Leading African digital infrastructure firm committed to financial innovation and technology solutions across the continent. Partnership brings together Tazama's transaction monitoring tools with AOGroup's deep expertise in building resilient, scalable financial systems. AOGroup built the Tazama Demo UI interface.
• Institute for Inclusive Digital Africa (IIDiA)strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 July 2025IIDiA leads the regional rollout of Tazama's tools across Africa, leveraging pan-African policy expertise, research network, and partnerships with governments and central banks. Partnership is part of the Inclusive Payment Systems Project funded by the Gates Foundation.
• RSwitch (Rwanda)flagshipOthers · 1 January 2025National e-payment switch of Rwanda. First joint implementation of Tazama and Mojaloop, delivering real-time fraud monitoring for Rwanda's national payment infrastructure. Model being replicated across Africa and Asia.
• Mojaloop FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Mojaloop is an open-source instant payment system that Tazama integrates with to provide fraud detection capabilities. Tazama is part of the Level One Project ecosystem focused on inclusive instant payments.
• Digital Public Goods AllianceminorOthers · 1 September 2024Multi-stakeholder initiative endorsed by the United Nations Secretary-General that recognized Tazama as a Digital Public Good, accelerating attainment of Sustainable Development Goals in low- and middle-income countries.
• Linux FoundationcoreOthers · 1 February 2024Tazama is a project of Linux Foundation Charities. The Linux Foundation provides governance, infrastructure, and operational support. Tazama joined the Linux Foundation in February 2024.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Featurespace: Adaptive behavioral analytics for fraud and AML transaction monitoring across cards, payments, and banking. Direct competitor in real-time transaction monitoring, differing by using ML versus Tazama's rules-based explainable engine.
• ComplyAdvantage: AI-native AML, KYC, and transaction monitoring platform serving banks and fintechs globally. Direct peer because it competes for the same AML/transactions monitoring budget as Tazama, though Tazama differentiates as open-source and emerging-market focused while ComplyAdvantage is commercial SaaS.
• Feedzai: Real-time AI fraud detection platform purpose-built for payments and transaction monitoring across banking, acquiring, and fintech. Directly comparable to Tazama's real-time detection engine, with Feedzai focused on AI/ML and Tazama on rules-based explainability.
• ThetaRay: AI-based transaction monitoring and sanctions screening used by global banks and payment providers for cross-border and correspondent banking. Direct peer in AML transaction monitoring, including strong emerging-market footprint which overlaps with Tazama's focus.
• Hawk AI: AI-driven AML and transaction monitoring platform serving banks, payment firms, and fintechs. Emerging direct peer with overlapping target customers and a similar real-time fraud/AML focus, though offered as commercial SaaS rather than open-source.

Broad incumbents

• NICE Actimize: Enterprise leader in AML, KYC, and fraud detection software for global financial institutions. Broad incumbent offering overlapping real-time transaction monitoring capabilities but targeting large, regulated banks rather than Tazama's emerging-market and open-source niche.
• ACI Worldwide: Global payments and fraud management software provider covering real-time fraud detection for banks, processors, and merchants. Broad incumbent overlapping with Tazama on real-time payments fraud but offering a much wider enterprise portfolio.
• BAE Systems Applied Intelligence (NetReveal): Long-established AML, fraud detection, and financial-crime compliance platform used by global banks and insurers. Broad incumbent with comparable transaction-monitoring capabilities, serving tier-1 institutions outside Tazama's open-source emerging-market remit.
• SAS Fraud Management: Enterprise AML and fraud detection suite from SAS covering transaction monitoring, alert management, and case management. Broad incumbent competitor for the same bank/regulator budget pool that Tazama targets, but on commercial enterprise terms rather than open-source.

Others

• Mojaloop Foundation: Open-source instant payment platform under the Linux Foundation that Tazama directly integrates with to deliver fraud detection for inclusive payment schemes. Ecosystem partner rather than competitor, included because adoption of Mojaloop determines Tazama's path into many African and Asian deployments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/tazama-lf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tazama-org
• Xx.com/TazamaOrg

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Tazama Project