Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with its customers, Mastercard is helping build a sustainable economy where everyone can prosper, supporting a wide range of digital payment choices and making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Its technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential. A technology company in the global payments industry, Mastercard connects consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments, digital partners and businesses worldwide, operating a payments network that authorizes, clears and settles transactions alongside value-added services spanning security, analytics and consulting.

Africa is central to Mastercard’s growth and inclusion agenda. The company partnered with MTN Group Fintech across 13 African markets to connect millions of people and small businesses with digital payment tools — supporting MTN’s ambition to become Africa’s largest fintech platform — following Mastercard’s minority investment into MTN Group Fintech. Recent collaborations include Axian Digibank & Fintech, launching digital payment solutions across Tanzania, Madagascar, Togo, Comoros and Senegal under the Mixx and MVola brands, and Paymentology in South Africa, aligned with the country’s National Development Plan target of 90% financial inclusion by 2030. Mastercard’s Community Pass platform connects millions of farmers in Africa with digital tools to access markets and grow their enterprises, and the company has supported more than a dozen African start-ups through its award-winning Start Path program. Having exceeded its pledge to connect 1 billion people and 65 million small businesses to the digital economy, Mastercard has now committed to connect and protect 500 million consumers and small businesses by 2030, launching the Global Financial Health Coalition uniting banks, telcos and fintechs.