FinTech in the DRC is growing, but payment fragmentation is holding back its digital economy

FinTech in the Democratic Republic of Congo is entering a decisive phase. Mobile money adoption is rising, businesses are accepting more digital payments, and financial institutions are investing in new payment capabilities. Yet the next stage of the DRC's digital economy will not be secured by launching new wallets. It will depend on payment interoperability: the ability of mobile money operators, banks, card networks, and FinTech infrastructure to work together effectively.

Fragmentation: a hidden tax on businesses

Today, a Congolese business can receive payments through M-Pesa, Airtel Money, Orange Money, Afrimoney, bank transfers, and cards. On paper, this represents choice. Operationally, it can mean separate integrations, dashboards, settlement processes, and transaction reports. The result is a fragmentation tax paid by businesses, institutions, and consumers alike.

Finance teams spend valuable time confirming payments, tracing where funds have settled, and reconciling statements from different providers. This slows business operations, complicates accounting, and prevents management from getting a complete, real-time view of cash flows. Digital payments should eliminate friction from commerce. When payment channels remain disconnected, they simply convert physical friction into administrative friction.

Growth that makes interoperability increasingly urgent

The growth of mobile money in the DRC makes interoperability increasingly urgent. In 2025, Airtel Money DRC revenues grew by 42%, and Airtel Money's average share of mobile financial services transactions reached 40.8%, compared to 43.4% for M-Pesa, according to figures attributed to the Congo Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.

This competition reflects strong demand for digital financial services. However, it also exposes a structural weakness: customers and businesses participate in multiple payment environments that do not always connect smoothly.

The strategic question is therefore no longer whether Congolese consumers will adopt mobile money. It is whether their wallets will be able to participate in a connected financial system. Without payment interoperability in the DRC, each provider risks becoming an isolated financial island. Consumers are limited by the payment methods each merchant accepts, while businesses must invest in multiple systems to reach the same national market.

The economic value of interoperability

Interoperability is often treated as a technical discussion about APIs, integrations, and payment switches. Its true value is economic. A business connected to multiple payment channels through a single payment API can serve more customers without maintaining separate technical relationships with each provider. Transactions can be monitored in real time, consolidated into a single reporting environment, and reconciled against bank statements. This gives management better visibility into revenue, settlements, and liquidity.

For small merchants, consolidated digital payment records can establish a credible history of business activity. Over time, this visibility could help financial institutions assess cash flows and extend appropriately structured credit to businesses that conventional lending models frequently overlook.

For public institutions, connected payment infrastructure can strengthen revenue collection, improve traceability, and give citizens more convenient ways to pay for services. For large enterprises, it can simplify merchant collections, supplier payments, and bulk disbursements.

A growth context that demands solid infrastructure

The World Bank estimates that the DRC's economy grew by 5.5% in 2025 and forecasts average growth of 5.1% between 2026 and 2028, with services and construction expected to support non-mining activity. This expansion will generate more transactions between consumers, businesses, and government institutions. The country's digital payment infrastructure must support this growth without multiplying its complexity.

Progress will require coordinated execution between the Central Bank of Congo, banks, mobile network operators, FinTech companies, and public institutions. Common technical standards, secure integrations, reliable settlements, consumer protection, and proportionate regulation must develop together.

Local execution is equally important. The DRC is not a market where technology can simply be deployed remotely. Businesses need locally based support teams that understand institutional procedures, customer behaviour, and the realities of payment settlement.

Access opened the door — interoperability will determine the value created

The future of FinTech in the DRC will not be determined by the number of wallets or applications entering the market. It will be determined by the country's ability to transform distinct digital payment channels into connected economic infrastructure.

Access has brought more Congolese consumers into digital finance. Payment interoperability will determine how much economic value the country can create once they are there.