M-Pesa
Coverage of M-Pesa in the Nexus archive.
- Kenyan Appeals Court Unblocks Safaricom Stake Sale to Vodacom
A Kenyan Appeals Court has unblocked the sale of Safaricom's stake to Vodacom. The article mentions a Nairobi store offering Safaricom's M-Pesa mobile money services.
- Morgan Stanley’s Bitcoin Executive Says Education — Not Products — Is Wall Street’s Real Obstacle
Morgan Stanley’s Head of Digital Asset Strategy, Amy Oldenburg, highlights education as the primary barrier to Bitcoin adoption on Wall Street. The bank successfully launched its Bitcoin Trust (MSBT), the first spot Bitcoin ETF by a U.S. chartered bank, with a $33.8 million debut and a 0.14% expense ratio. Regulatory constraints and vendor collapses delayed their crypto strategy, but the firm now focuses on internal adoption of its products.
- Africa’s tax push is clashing with the reality of its informal economies
Africa's informal economy, which constitutes nearly 90% of sub-Saharan Africa's jobs, is clashing with governments' efforts to expand tax collection. While African countries have low tax-to-GDP ratios, digitization of tax systems and mobile money services like M-Pesa are raising concerns about increased taxation without improved public services, particularly in rural areas.
- Kenya’s mobile money tax plans threaten M-Pesa growth
Kenya’s proposed 16% VAT on mobile money services like M-Pesa and Airtel Money, along with a 25% excise duty on mobile phones, risks slowing fintech growth and financial inclusion. Experts warn the taxes could push users back to cash, harm diaspora remittances, and undermine Kenya’s leadership in mobile money innovation.