#Visa

Visa is enhancing its digital payments ecosystem by introducing new features for Visa Accept and Visa Direct, which allow small businesses to use smartphones for receiving payments and sending real-time payouts without the need for additional payment hardware. These updates are specifically designed to support micro, small, and medium-sized businesses in emerging markets, according to TechTrends KE.

Payments company Visa has outlined its plans for integrating AI agents, enhanced tokens, and blockchain technology into the future of commerce, indicating a significant transformation in the shopping experience.

M-Pesa is collaborating with Visa and Onafriq to pilot stablecoin payments in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This initiative is part of a broader discussion on financial technology developments, which also includes the Central Bank of Nigeria revoking licenses for several banks and Zain's expansion into Syria after MTN's exit, according to Techpoint Africa.

According to a Visa report, AI-powered scams have emerged as the largest threat in payment fraud, as enhanced network-level security measures have diminished chances for direct system breaches. This shift has led criminals to increasingly exploit human trust to carry out their fraudulent activities.

Visa, along with First National Bank (FNB) and Rand Merchant Bank (RMB), is focusing on the corporate cash market, following the trend of South Africans adopting digital payment methods at retail locations. The companies believe that businesses will increasingly move towards digital transactions, similar to consumer behavior.

South Africa's Yoco is expanding its services beyond payment processing through a new artificial intelligence deal. This development is part of a broader discussion that includes the Central Bank of Nigeria's data localisation rule, which has raised concerns within the fintech sector, and Visa's plans to integrate AI for shopping with cards in South Africa, according to Techpoint Africa.