Orange Money and Visa Team Up to Boost Africa Mobile Pay Now

Orange Money has entered a partnership with Visa to enhance financial accessibility in Africa and the Middle East. The collaboration is set to introduce virtual cards for online payments, an initiative that could potentially increase the volume of digital transactions throughout these regions.

Following initial launches in Botswana, Jordan and Madagascar, the virtual Visa card is scheduled for a gradual rollout in Burkina Faso, Guinea and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

This initiative leverages Orange's extensive mobile footprint to broaden the reach of digital financial services.

Orange Money and Visa's virtual card

The virtual card is designed to be accessible to users directly from Orange’s Max app. Funding for the card can be drawn from an Orange Money bank account, with the ability to create a virtual card instantly.

According to Orange, physical cards will be made available at authorised Orange Money points of sale at a later date. This phased approach allows Orange and Visa to build on their existing digital infrastructure while planning for physical distribution.

Thierry Millet, CEO of Orange Money Group, explains: “Thanks to Orange Money, our 45 million customers can make everyday payments at millions of physical retail locations and with online merchants in their country. Whether they are individuals or entrepreneurs, they can now create their virtual Visa card in just a few seconds and make international online payments across the Visa network. This is the first step in this strategic partnership, which will help make Orange Money a widely accepted payment method, from major online platforms to local neighbourhood merchants.”

Expanding digital payment solutions

The collaboration between Orange and Visa seeks to provide up to 49 million active Orange Money users with a globally recognised payment method.

The introduction of virtual cards is intended to enable secure online transactions on both local and international websites. This development could position Orange Money as a more comprehensive financial tool for its existing mobile customer base.

Ismahill Diaby, Vice-President and General Manager for Western and Central Francophone & Lusophone Africa at Visa, states: “We’re excited to partner with Orange Money to bring the advantages of the digital economy to millions of people across Africa. By combining Visa’s trusted technology with Orange Money’s local reach, this partnership offers a simple, secure way for more people and small businesses to pay online – helping them participate confidently in everyday commerce.”

Ismahill suggests the combination of Visa's payment technology and Orange's regional presence is a key component of the strategy.

Financial inclusion and telco innovation

This partnership is part of Visa's wider mission of promoting financial inclusion. Visa's strategy involves collaborations with various entities, including its pairing with neobank Revolut for an ultra-premium business card.

Visa supports approximately 14,500 financial institutions. For a telco provider like Orange, such a partnership signifies a deeper entry into the financial services sector, leveraging its large subscriber base to offer new digital products.

Visa's innovation in global payments also includes a pilot for stablecoin settlement. According to Visa’s 2025 Creator Economy Report, speed of access was a major reason for adopting digital payments. The pilot programme is designed to facilitate efficient payouts directly to businesses’ digital wallets.

Chris Newkirk, President, Commercial & Money Movement Solutions at Visa, said: "Launching stablecoin payouts is about enabling truly universal access to money in minutes - not days - for anyone, anywhere in the world.”

This innovation addresses challenges in global payouts, particularly for participants in markets with currency volatility or limited banking infrastructure, which aligns with the goals of expanding financial services in developing regions.​​​​