Lipaworld Targets $100M Cross-Border Payments Milestone

In Short

Lipaworld is setting transaction volume targets as it prepares to open a seed funding round. The startup says cross-border commercial payments are now its main growth driver.

What Happened: Lipaworld Seed Round Plans and Volume Targets

Lipaworld is an African cross-border payments startup that says it has processed more than $6 million in cumulative transaction volume since March.

In an interview, co-founder and CEO Jonathan Katende said the company aims to surpass $10 million by the end of this year. He also said Lipaworld wants to reach $100 million by the end of 2027.

Katende said the company is preparing to officially open its seed funding round. He said Lipaworld has been deliberate about raising capital, prioritising sustainable growth and building a clear pathway to becoming cash-flow positive, which he said the company is trending towards.

Lipaworld said it will scale across Nigeria, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe. It also plans to extend payment corridors, meaning routes for moving money between regions, into Latin America, Southeast Asia and Europe.

Why It Matters: Stablecoins and Lower Cross-Border Costs

Lipaworld connects local banking networks and mobile money operators with digital dollar stablecoin infrastructure, including USDC. A stablecoin is a crypto asset designed to track a stable value, often pegged to the US dollar.

By bridging domestic payment rails, meaning existing local payment systems, with digital asset liquidity, Lipaworld said it reduces cross-border payment costs by approximately 50% for businesses moving funds into and out of Africa.

Katende said foreign exchange costs, liquidity constraints and currency volatility remain hard problems, especially in markets with dollar shortages that push businesses toward parallel-market exchange rates. He said Lipaworld focuses on what it can control, including liquidity partnerships, competitive pricing and faster settlement.

Lipaworld said consumer remittances remain part of its platform, but cross-border commercial payments have become its primary growth driver. It also said it is seeing increasing use by remote workers and entrepreneurs withdrawing earnings from global platforms such as Airbnb and Payoneer into local bank accounts and mobile money wallets.