Lipaworld, a borderless stablecoin wallet helping immigrants, freelancers, and businesses earn, spend, and send money globally, has entered South Africa to provide underserved communities with reliable, low-cost financial alternatives.
The platform is tailored to meet the needs of those excluded from traditional financial systems, including immigrants, gig workers, and small business owners. It offers digital dollar access, faster remittances, and an easy-to-use payment experience.
As stablecoins continue to reshape cross-border payments, this venture-backed fintech startup is taking a vital role in one of Africa’s largest informal economies.
What Lipaworld aim to solve
Lipaworld’s entry into South Africa is driven by the need to bridge the gap between modern financial tools and the everyday challenges faced by informal sector participants.
Using USDC, a U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin issued by publicly listed fintech firm Circle, Lipaworld enables users to bypass costly banking fees, foreign exchange markups, and delays that often plague traditional systems.
“We are not here to hype crypto. We are here to offer real financial access to people who have been overlooked or underserved by traditional systems,” said Jonathan Katende, Lipaworld’s founder and a Western Union Foundation Fellow.
He added, “Stablecoins are not a fad. They are a regulated, reliable way for people to take control of their finances, build economic resilience, and participate fully in the modern economy.”
According to the founder, the platform’s major selling point is its user-friendly interface, which disguises the underlying blockchain complexity.
“Our UX is intentionally simple. We hide the complexity so people can just get on with their lives,” said Katende.
“Behind the scenes, we are using stablecoin wallets, but the experience is no different than a familiar money transfer or payment app—except it works better.”
The platform is designed to benefit South Africa’s growing freelance and microbusiness community.
Furthermore, Lipaworld isn’t taking shortcuts when it comes to working with regulatory stakeholders.
The company partners with licensed Payment Service Providers (PSPs) in every market where it operates and engages directly with policymakers to align its innovations with national financial standards.
“We are pro-regulation. We do not believe in working around the rules,” Katende emphasised. “But innovation needs air to breathe. We want to help regulators see stablecoins as safe, useful, and aligned with the public good.”
About Lipaworld
Lipaworld is a venture-backed fintech company on a mission to democratize access to borderless financial tools.
Operating in more than 22 countries, the platform empowers users, especially those excluded from traditional finance, to earn in stablecoins, move money across borders quickly and affordably, and purchase goods from verified merchants through its digital marketplace.
Founded by Jonathan Katende, who grew up in the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa, Lipaworld was born out of lived experience and deep insights into the everyday challenges of cross-border finance.
The company received the Plug and Play x Visa Inclusive Fintech Accelerator award and continues to lead conversations on building future-proof financial ecosystems in Africa.