Standard Bank, Africa’s largest financial institution by assets, proudly celebrates its instrumental role in the growth and public listing of Optasia, a pioneering fintech company. From its early days as a startup, Optasia has evolved into a market-leading platform, culminating in a landmark listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), the largest fintech IPO in the exchange’s history and the most significant fintech listing since 2018.
As a long-term banking and equity partner, Standard Bank provided critical support throughout Optasia’s growth trajectory. The bank mobilized both debt and private capital during key expansion phases, enabling Optasia to scale its operations across emerging markets. During the IPO process, Standard Bank served in multiple strategic capacities: as joint global coordinator, stabilization manager, and transaction sponsor, demonstrating its deep expertise in capital markets and its commitment to African innovation.
Optasia’s platform leverages advanced artificial intelligence to empower financial institutions and mobile network operators to extend micro-financing and airtime credit services, driving financial inclusion across underserved populations. Today, the company reaches over 120 million active users monthly across 38 countries, making it one of the largest AI-powered fintech platforms in Africa and other emerging markets. It leads the industry in both disbursement volumes and geographic footprint.
Reflecting on the company’s journey, Optasia founder Bassim Haidar remarked:
From humble beginnings as a single-country airtime credit provider, Optasia has grown into a fintech powerhouse. Our internally developed platform spans scoring, financial decisioning, disbursement, and collection—enabling millions to access financial services. We are excited about the next chapter as a publicly listed company on the JSE.
Yusuf Noorbhai, Head of Structured Capital at Standard Bank Corporate and Investment Banking, added:
As Africa’s leading investment bank, we are honoured to have partnered with Optasia, its visionary founder, and its shareholders—not only as advisors and financiers, but also as equity investors. Our involvement across multiple funding rounds underscores our commitment to catalysing private equity in Africa’s tech ecosystem. Optasia’s IPO is a strong endorsement of the JSE as a viable listing venue for high-growth, technology-driven African companies.
Roger Grobler, Partner at Chronos Capital, also commented:
Chronos Capital is dedicated to creating long-term value by investing in scalable, tech-enabled businesses. Partnering with Standard Bank, Optasia’s founder, and its exceptional management team has been a privilege. Together, we’ve helped build one of the most promising fintech unicorns in emerging markets.
