Wise Unlocks South African Payments Gateway

In this episode, we dive into Wise’s major move into the African market, starting with its newly launched operations in South Africa. After securing conditional approval from the South African Reserve Bank to operate as a regulated foreign-exchange dealer, the London-based fintech is taking a significant step toward transforming one of the world’s most important remittance corridors.

We break down how Wise plans to deliver low-cost, real-time international payments to personal customers in its initial rollout—advancing the G20’s goal of faster, cheaper global transfers by 2027. You’ll also hear why Wise executives are calling this a milestone in reducing FX costs, and how UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has publicly welcomed the move as a boost to UK–South Africa ties.

If you want to understand what this expansion means for cross-border finance in Africa and the future of global remittances, this episode has you covered.