Optasia’s Landmark JSE IPO

As Africa’s largest bank by assets, we supported Optasia from its early-stage start-up phase through to its successful public listing. We acted as Joint Global Coordinator, Stabilisation Manager, and Transaction Sponsor, while also providing critical debt and private capital throughout Optasia’s growth journey. Importantly, we also served as an equity investor, catalysing private equity capital at multiple stages.

Optasia is a high-growth, AI-powered fintech platform that enables financial institutions and mobile network operators to drive financial inclusion through micro financing and airtime credit services. With over 120 million monthly active users across 38 countries, Optasia leads the market in disbursement volumes and geographic reach.

“This IPO marks a significant milestone for Optasia and for African fintech,” said Bassim Haidar, founder of Optasia. “We’ve grown from a single-country airtime credit provider into a fintech powerhouse enabling financial access for millions.”

Yusuf Noorbhai, Head of Structured Capital at Standard Bank CIB, added: “Optasia’s IPO is a vote of confidence in the JSE as a listing venue for high-growth, technology-enabled African companies. It reflects our unmatched expertise in delivering value across public and private markets.”

The deal also highlights the strength of partnerships in scaling emerging market unicorns, with Chronos Capital and other investors playing key roles.

Africa’s fintech market is projected to reach US$65 billion by 2030, and Optasia’s listing sets a benchmark for future growth and innovation in the sector.