PiggyVest, Moniepoint, others make CNBC’s 2026 top fintech list

Eleven African fintechs have been featured on CNBC and Statista’s 2026 World’s Top Fintech Companies ranking, highlighting the continent’s leading fintech companies across payments, lending, wealth technology, and financial infrastructure.

The fourth annual ranking selected 500 companies across nine fintech segments from a pool of more than 3,500 firms globally. Companies were evaluated through applications, independent research, and industry data before making the final list.

Nigeria accounts for six of Africa’s 11 entries, representing more than half of the continent’s total. Kenya, Egypt, and South Africa make up the remaining spots.

Payments dominate Africa’s fintech representation

Payments and financial infrastructure remain the strongest category for African fintech companies, with seven of the continent’s 11 listed firms operating in the sector.

Nigeria’s Redtech, backed by Heirs Holdings, appears on the list for the first time this year. Its RedPay platform has processed approximately $33 billion in transaction value since launch and operates more than 55,000 POS terminals across Nigeria.

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Redtech joins other Nigerian payment companies, including OPay, which serves more than 60 million users, and PalmPay, which operates a network of over 500,000 mobile money agents across the country.

Interswitch Group, one of Africa’s oldest fintech infrastructure providers, also features on the list. The company provides payment switching infrastructure for Nigerian banks and operates the Verve card network.

Outside Nigeria, Egypt’s Paymob has expanded its payment gateway services across the Middle East and North Africa region, while Kenya-based PawaPay provides mobile money aggregation services across multiple African markets. South Africa’s Yoco continues building payment solutions and card tools for small businesses.

Lending and digital banking companies secure three spots

Africa’s representation in lending and neobanking includes Moniepoint Group, M-KOPA, and Tala.

Nigeria’s Moniepoint Group reported ₦412 trillion ($294 billion) in transaction volume in 2025, with the company stating that its infrastructure supports a significant share of in-person payments in Nigeria.

Kenya-based M-KOPA provides asset financing for products including smartphones and solar systems through flexible digital payment plans, while Tala offers digital credit products to underbanked customers across several global markets.

PiggyVest leads Africa’s wealth technology category

Nigeria’s PiggyVest is the only African company listed in the Wealth Technology category. The company operates a consumer savings and investment platform that allows users to save, invest, and manage personal finances digitally.

CNBC’s 2026 ranking covers nine categories, including payments, wealth technology, neobanking, alternative financing, digital assets, enterprise fintech, insurtech, regtech, and others. Regtech was introduced as a new category this year, reflecting growing global focus on compliance and financial regulation.

Globally, the United States leads the ranking with 42% of the selected companies, followed by the United Kingdom with 13%. Nigeria’s six entries reinforce its position as Africa’s largest fintech market, with more than 430 fintech companies and nearly 28% of the continent’s fintech firms.

Last updated: July 22, 2026