BitPesa, through its website, is helping businesses in China and Africa to send instant payments in local currency directly from African bank accounts to Chinese bank accounts.
Users in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo can now send money directly to bank accounts in China. The remittance service offered by BitPesa is low-cost as it cuts conventional money transfer costs by up to 60%, according to the company.
The trade between China and Africa increased to more than $170 billion in 2013 according to the World Bank and is estimated to have hit $220 billion in 2016, as Chinese companies invest heavily in small businesses across the continent.
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But until now, African companies had limited options for paying their Chinese suppliers in a swift and affordable way, according to BitPesa CEO Elizabeth Rossiello.
Now BiPesa plans to change that. BitPesa is based out of Kenya and has raised $4 million in capital.
BitPesa which was built as an infrastructure solution to meet the growing demand in this important corridor is now growing in demand as businesses increasingly rely on their technology to send or receive payments faster and cheaper than anywhere else.
BitPesa is driven about eliminating the middleman and middle currency in Africa-China trade and to help them connect directly. The company further hopes to expand, hoping Bitcoin to be embraced as a tool which connects the continent.