Global fintech firm Afriex has announced a strategic collaboration with payments giant Visa to offer real-time cross-border payments across more than 160 markets.
The move is set to accelerate fund transfers for individuals and businesses alike, enabling faster access to money across geographies. The agreement centres on the integration of Visa’s push-to-account service, Visa Direct, into Afriex’s global payments infrastructure.
According to the companies, this will enable eligible Visa-branded payment endpoints to receive funds instantly, eliminating multi-day delays typical of legacy cross-border systems.
Afriex, founded by CEO Tope Alabi, described the partnership as a direct response to the growing demand for speed, transparency and accessibility in international money flows. “For the millions of families and businesses who depend on remittances, speed and transparency matter most,” Alabi said. “Working with Visa allows us to pair Afriex’s innovation with Visa Direct’s global network, so money moves in real time, not days.”
Remittances to low- and middle-income countries reached an estimated US$669 billion in 2023, underscoring the scale and significance of cross-border payments for households, small businesses and economies.
Yet many transfers still face high fees, opaque processes and sluggish settlement times.
Afriex is a global fintech platform making cross-border payments fast, affordable, and seamless. From personal remittances to business transactions, Afriex enables users worldwide to send, receive, and hold money across multiple currencies with zero-to-low fees and instant transfers.
Founded with the mission to make international payments more accessible and affordable, Afriex leverages cutting-edge technology to provide fast, secure, and transparent financial services to individuals and businesses.
By enabling real-time transfers via Visa Direct, Afriex says it will enhance its ability to deliver low-cost, near-instant transactions for both personal remittances and business-to-business flows.
This is especially relevant in emerging markets where traditional infrastructure and banking rails may lag behind digital-first alternatives.
The partnership also reflects a broader trend of fintech companies teaming with global payment networks to scale quickly and provide competitive product propositions, particularly in corridors involving Africa, Asia and the diaspora.
According to Afriex, the new service is now live on its platform and available through its mobile app. The mechanics involve Afriex integrating Visa Direct via its financial institution partner, enabling funds to be “pushed” directly to eligible Visa endpoints, such as Visa-branded accounts or cards in real-time.
However, the companies note that actual funds availability depends on the recipient institution and account eligibility. That implies that while the infrastructure is in place, adoption and rollout may differ across corridors and local banks.
For diaspora senders, small businesses, and freelancers engaged in global commerce, this development offers several significant advantages.
The introduction of real-time transfers means immediate settlement, drastically reducing delays compared to the days-long processes associated with traditional systems like SWIFT.
By using Visa’s push-to-account technology, Afriex also enhances transparency by cutting out multiple intermediaries and providing better visibility into where funds are at any given time.
In addition, the service promises cost-effectiveness, with Afriex highlighting its “zero-to-low fees” approach, although the exact fee structure for each payment corridor is yet to be fully disclosed.
With support for more than 160 markets worldwide, the partnership greatly expands the reach of real-time cross-border payments, enabling more people and businesses to send and receive money seamlessly.
For global enterprises, freelancers, and e-commerce platforms, this offers a more efficient way to pay suppliers or staff across borders, marking a major step toward faster, more accessible, and transparent international transactions.
From a market-structure perspective, this collaboration signals increasing competition and innovation in cross-border payments, an area long dominated by banks and traditional remittance providers.
Fintechs are leveraging global rails and networks like Visa to challenge incumbents and improve service levels.
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