Sybrin powers seamless cross-border payments across Africa

Sybrin's Payments Hub addresses legacy limitations.

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As Africa continues to accelerate its digital transformation agenda, Sybrin reaffirms its commitment to supporting financial institutions in simplifying and securing cross-border payments. With its Payments Hub and integration expertise, Sybrin enables seamless access to real-time, low-value cross-border payment networks across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and beyond.

Cross-border transactions in Africa have long been plagued by high fees, long processing times and fragmented infrastructure. For example, the cost of sending a low-value payment across African borders can reach up to 30% in transaction fees, disproportionately impacting SMEs and consumers.

Sybrin's Payments Hub is designed to address these legacy limitations by offering a fully interoperable, 24/7 real-time payment integration solution that ensures affordability, speed and compliance. Built on modern standards like ISO 20022, Sybrin's offering connects financial institutions to regionally regulated payment networks, enabling them to scale efficiently and meet compliance demands.

Key benefits of Sybrin's cross-border integration:

By integrating through Sybrin's certified solution, financial institutions gain access to:

• Real-time, always-on clearing: Transactions processed and settled 24/7, including weekends and holidays. Payments are final and irrevocable on completion.

• Affordable transfers at scale: Sybrin's cost-efficient model helps reduce fees and expand the accessibility of low-value transfers for individuals and businesses, particularly across underserved corridors.

• Multi-rail interoperability: The open-loop design enables seamless integration between banks, mobile network operators, fintechs and non-bank financial institutions. This allows a bank user in one country to transfer funds to a mobile wallet in another.

• Compliance and security by design: With full adherence to regional regulations and global payment standards, Sybrin can ensure that institutions meet all KYC, AML and governance obligations. ISO 20022-based data standards ensure transparency and enriched transaction visibility.

Sybrin brings over 30 years of experience delivering mission-critical payment systems in Africa. It currently provides national clearing infrastructure in Zambia, Kenya and Lesotho. This regional track record positions the company as a trusted partner for financial institutions looking to modernise cross-border payment capabilities.

"We are deeply focused on the enablement of scalable, interoperable solutions that support Africa’s financial inclusion and real-time innovation goals," says Avinash Naidoo, Sybrin’s Payments and Clearing Product Manager. "Our Payments Hub and Transaction Monitoring suite are tailored to help financial institutions rapidly integrate into compliant payment networks, unlocking instant transfers across the continent while reducing onboarding friction."

Whether driven by regulatory shifts or the pursuit of improved user experiences, African financial institutions now have the opportunity to reimagine their cross-border payment strategy. By partnering with Sybrin, institutions can:

• Accelerate onboarding into regional payment schemes.
• Meet evolving regulatory mandates and deadlines.
• Expand reach to underserved customer segments.
• Improve operational efficiency and lower transaction costs.