Why African FX Is Different

Global FX infrastructure wasn't built for African realities. Mobile money settlement, fragmented liquidity pools, and corridor complexity require purpose-built data infrastructure.

AFXO is designed around these constraints—not despite them.

Where Generic Infrastructure Fails

Standard FX data providers treat African currencies as an afterthought— if they cover them at all. The result is data that doesn't reflect settlement realities.

Fragmented Liquidity

African FX markets operate across dozens of isolated pools. Interbank rates in Lagos don't reflect what's tradeable in Nairobi. Global oracles aggregate at the wrong level.

Mobile Money Reality

M-Pesa, Airtel Money, MTN MoMo—these aren't payment apps. They're the actual settlement layer for millions of transactions. FX infrastructure must account for this.

Official vs Market Rates

Central bank rates and street rates can diverge by 20%+. Generic global data sources report one. Settlement happens at the other. The gap is where pricing breaks.

Corridor Complexity

KES↔NGN doesn't settle directly. It routes through USD, sometimes GBP, sometimes mobile money rails. Each hop introduces latency, cost, and rate uncertainty.

Real Settlement Corridors

African trade doesn't follow global FX assumptions. These are the corridors that actually matter—where money moves, and where pricing accuracy is critical.

View All Corridors →

Continental Coverage

19 African currencies across all major economic regions, plus key trade partner currencies. Built to expand as African markets evolve.

5
East Africa
KESUGXTZSRWFETB
3
West Africa
NGNGHSXOF
4
Southern Africa
ZARZMWBWPMZN
4
North Africa
EGPMADDZDTND
3
Central Africa
CDFXAFAOA

Mobile Money Changes Everything

In Kenya, M-Pesa processes more transactions than traditional banks. In Ghana, mobile money accounts outnumber bank accounts 3:1. This isn't a payment method—it's the settlement layer.

FX infrastructure that ignores mobile money ignores how African commerce actually works. AFXO is built with this reality at its core.

Understanding Mobile Money FX

Mobile Money Market Share

Kenya (M-Pesa)96%
Ghana (MTN MoMo)78%
Uganda (Airtel/MTN)72%
Tanzania65%

Adult population with active mobile money accounts

Who Uses AFXO in Africa

From fintechs building cross-border payment products to institutions managing FX risk across African operations.

Fintechs & Neobanks

Building payment products that span multiple African markets. Need reliable FX data that reflects actual settlement costs.

View use cases →

Remittance Providers

Processing diaspora flows into African markets. Pricing accuracy directly impacts margins and customer trust.

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DeFi Protocols

Building stablecoins, lending products, or DEXs serving African markets. Need on-chain FX data that existing oracles don't provide.

View use cases →

Ready to Build?

Technical documentation, API access, and pricing are available on our global platform. Start with our sandbox tier—no commitment required.

Commercial access via afxo.ai pricing plans