By: Lonwabo Mtyeku | Photo Credit: Supplied by Standard Bank
Seen Here: Margaret Nienaber, Standard Bank Group COO, outlines the bank’s strategy to scale payments infrastructure across Africa. Photo Credit: Standard Bank
Johannesburg, 30 March 2026 – Standard Bank Group has reaffirmed its position as a central force in Africa’s financial ecosystem, processing more than R164 trillion in payments in 2025 across its extensive network of over 20 million clients and correspondent banking relationships.
This extraordinary scale translates to more than R300 million flowing through the bank’s systems every minute, underscoring its critical role in enabling liquidity, facilitating trade, and supporting everyday economic activity across the continent.
Payments at Scale: A Strategic Engine
The bank processed 2.3 billion individual payments over the past year—a 9% year-on-year increase, driven by the rapid expansion of electronic channels, stronger merchant acquiring capabilities, and the rise of instant and embedded payment solutions.
Cross-border transactions also saw significant growth, increasing by 12%, with Standard Bank commanding a 31% market share in South Africa and 17% across its broader African footprint. This firmly positions the institution as the continent’s largest transactional banking franchise.
According to Margaret Nienaber, the scale is not incidental but the result of deliberate strategy:
“Our payments ecosystem operates at a scale few institutions can match. Moving R164 trillion a year requires resilience, sophistication and constant innovation. Payments are not simply transactions for us—they are the core engine of client engagement and the foundation of our broader platform strategy across Africa.”
Modernising Africa’s Payment Landscape
Africa’s payment systems are undergoing rapid transformation, driven by regulatory reform, digital adoption, and increased competition. In response, Standard Bank has built an integrated, multi-rail payments architecture that combines traditional and emerging technologies.
This includes:
- Domestic electronic payments and card issuing
- Merchant acquiring and cash collections
- Instant and embedded payments
- Blockchain-enabled settlement systems
- Digital asset-based cross-border flows
By integrating these layers, the bank is not only improving transaction speed and security but also generating deeper data insights and enhancing client experience across its operations.
Driving Domestic Growth and Financial Inclusion
On the domestic front, Standard Bank continues to strengthen its transactional backbone. Immediate payment options are now available in 13 African markets, reflecting the growing demand for fast, low-cost payment solutions.
In South Africa, immediate payments grew by 37% year-on-year, highlighting a shift toward real-time financial transactions.
The bank’s merchant acquiring business is also expanding, with SimplyBlu recording a 19% increase in new merchant sales, enabling both small businesses and large enterprises to digitise their payment systems.
In East Africa, innovation in digital wallets and agency banking is accelerating financial inclusion. Uganda’s FlexiPay platform processed R7 billion in mobile money transactions in 2025, achieving an impressive 99% year-on-year growth.
These developments are key to strengthening customer relationships, protecting deposits, and embedding the bank deeper into daily economic activity.
Transforming Cross-Border Payments
Cross-border payments—traditionally slow and costly across many African corridors—are undergoing a significant shift. Standard Bank has taken a leading role in this transformation.
The bank became the first African institution to connect clients directly to the Africa-Asia payment corridor via CIPS, processing R9.5 billion since its launch. This innovation enables faster, more cost-effective transactions with key global trading partners.
Additionally, a new remittance solution launched in 2025—now active in four markets—facilitates seamless last-mile distribution of inbound payments. This is particularly significant given the importance of remittances as a source of income for millions of African households.
Embracing Digital Assets and Blockchain Innovation
As global finance evolves, Standard Bank is positioning itself at the forefront of digital asset integration. The bank has partnered to support the rollout of ZARU, a rand-denominated stablecoin backed by a custody reserve solution.
This initiative aligns with broader efforts to capture emerging opportunities in:
- Tokenised deposits
- Stablecoins
- Digital asset-based settlement systems
Meanwhile, its Aroko blockchain-enabled platform—developed within Corporate and Investment Banking—has already processed over R1 trillion in cross-border flows, streamlining complex and recurring transactions.
The bank is also investing in secure “on- and off-ramps” to ensure regulatory compliance while enabling clients to access next-generation financial technologies safely.
Powering Africa’s Economic Future
Efficient, reliable, and secure payment systems are fundamental to economic growth. By enabling the seamless movement of money across borders and markets, Standard Bank is supporting trade, empowering businesses, and sustaining livelihoods across Africa.
Nienaber emphasised the bank’s long-term vision:
“Our ambition is to support both intra-Africa and global connectivity through trusted, seamless, and modern payment services. Whether it’s real-time domestic transfers, multi-rail cross-border payments, or blockchain-enabled settlement, our approach remains consistent—build secure rails, create client value, and scale intelligently.”
This vision is anchored in three strategic pillars:
- Domestic dominance
- Cross-border diversification
- Digital asset evolution
As Africa’s financial systems continue to modernise, Standard Bank’s investment in scalable, intelligent payments infrastructure positions it as a key driver of the continent’s economic integration and growth.
