South Africa: Street Wallet Acquires Digitip to Offer E-Payments to Informal Workers

3 October 2025
Daba Finance (Abidjan)

TLDR

  • South African fintech startup Street Wallet has acquired Digitip, a platform that enables informal workers to receive digital tips
  • Street Wallet, founded in 2021, offers mobile payment solutions that allow vendors to accept cashless payments without traditional bank accounts or hardware
  • The deal follows Street Wallet's $350,000 fundraise last month aimed at scaling operations and deepening its market reach across South Africa

South African fintech startup Street Wallet has acquired Digitip, a platform that enables informal workers to receive digital tips, strengthening its footprint in KwaZulu-Natal and advancing its goal of supporting informal traders in the digital economy.

Street Wallet, founded in 2021, offers mobile payment solutions that allow vendors to accept cashless payments without traditional bank accounts or hardware. Customers can pay via Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, SnapScan, Zapper, or Scan-To-Pay, with vendors receiving instant confirmations. Daily earnings are converted into Standard Bank Instant Money Vouchers, withdrawable at ATMs and retailers.

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Digitip, launched in 2023, enabled service workers to receive digital gratuities. Its integration into Street Wallet will deliver faster payouts, lower transaction fees, and improved user experiences for customers and merchants.

The deal follows Street Wallet's $350,000 fundraise last month aimed at scaling operations and deepening its market reach across South Africa.

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Key Takeaways

Street Wallet's acquisition of Digitip signals growing consolidation in South Africa's digital payments space, especially within the underserved informal economy. Informal workers and traders represent a large share of South Africa's workforce but remain excluded from traditional banking. By combining Street Wallet's infrastructure with Digitip's tipping platform, the merged business aims to accelerate financial inclusion by providing low-cost, instant, and flexible payment options. This model also reflects broader regional fintech trends, where startups are building solutions tailored to the realities of cash-heavy economies while leveraging mobile penetration to expand access. The deal strengthens Street Wallet's regional presence, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, and positions it to scale nationwide. For informal traders, access to lower-cost transactions and same-day payouts could be transformative, helping them better manage liquidity and build financial resilience. For investors, the acquisition highlights how niche fintech solutions are converging to serve Africa's informal sector -- a massive, yet largely untapped, market.

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