Back in December 2017, Opera Software Group officially took the wraps off OPay, a web-based payments platform. The service would allow users to purchase airtime and pay for utility bills via their OPay wallet that they can load through M-Pesa, Airtel Money or Visa card. One of the enticements that the company used to lure users onto their platforms included cashbacks and extra credits for using the service.
Well, exactly five months down the line since the launch of OPay and the rumour mill has it that Opera has been seen flirting with iPay Africa in a bid to acquire the later. iPay Africa is a payments gateway solution that allows users to receive and make payments through the platform through a couple of methods. iPay covers both individual use and business use. Allowing businesses to implement a virtual point of sale through iPay API for online payments and also in-store purchases and individuals to make utility payment through eLipa.
The exact details of Opera and iPay’s relationship have not yet been known, however, iPay has been spotted on social media throwing a few hints at a possible rebrand that is yet to happen. From the look of things, iPay will be rebranding to OPay and carrying the Opera flag deep into the mobile payments space.
https://twitter.com/ipayafrica/status/992380319947984896
We reached out to Opera to give a comment on the matter and all they could say, or not say, was, “We are pursuing partnerships with different fintech players in the continent”. Opera didn’t exactly confirm that they were after iPay but going with the teasers on iPay’s page, definitely, the lucky guy is Opera.
This is a big deal because Opera recently got into the game of mobile loans through their OKash platform, that according to them is doing 10 million in daily transaction value and adding iPay’s services onto their portfolio will propel the company forward in the mobile payments space, giving them leverage on payments, money transfers and loans services.
