Optasia wants to move beyond airtime credit as microfinance drives growth
Optasia is moving beyond airtime advances into AI-powered microfinance, targeting consumers and small businesses underserved by traditional lenders as it expands its digital lending business.
A year after topping the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) with an R23.5 billion ($1.4 billion) debut, Africa's largest securities market, fintech Optasia is outperforming projections. While generated $270 million in revenue in the first nine months of 2026, a 45% year-on-year increase, its future growth hinges on its transition from airtime advances to microfinance.
Utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and alternative data sources, Optasia extends credit to underserved customers who often lack traditional collateral or credit histories. CEO Salvador Anglada emphasizes the shift away from airtime credit, a convenience product, to broader consumer and small business financing needs. Currently, only 7% of adults in sub-Saharan Africa accessed mobile money loans in 2024, yet these providers accounted for nearly 60% of all formal borrowing in the region.
Microfinance is a significant growth opportunity, with Optasia's segment contributing $194 million in the first nine months of 2026, representing about 72% of group revenue. The company's focus on expanding beyond consumer loans includes merchant financing and working capital for small businesses. Optasia's alternative data-driven approach identifies creditworthiness based on behavioural patterns, allowing it to serve customers with irregular incomes who lack conventional documentation.
With ambitions to reach over 80% of its revenue from microfinance solutions, Optasia is tapping into a market where millions earn through informal businesses and gig work.
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