London-based FinTech startup Capi Money has raised €17.2 million in a Series A round to scale its international payments platform designed for SMEs in emerging markets, primarily in Africa, Latin America and China.
The funding round was led by Creandum and joined by Janngo.africa, alongside existing investors Y Combinator, Firstminute Capital, 4Cities, The Raba Partnership, Kara Investments, Algorithmic Strategies, Rebel Fund, Maiora, and Pioneer Fund.
“For millions of small businesses across developing countries, paying international suppliers is frustrating, expensive, and slow. Capi Money is changing that with a platform that allows importers to pay invoices in under 48 hours—reliable, fast, and free of middlemen,” said Creandum in a statement.
Founded in 2023 by Mitch Riley, Scott Liddle, and Tom Watson, Capi Money aims to solve a major bottleneck for businesses across Africa, Latin America, and Asia—paying international suppliers efficiently. Importers in these regions often face high foreign exchange fees (around 10%), delayed bank payments, and complicated paperwork, making global trade slow and expensive.
Capi Money’s platform allows businesses to pay invoices of up to $/€1 million within 48 hours, eliminating intermediaries and reducing transaction costs.
Riley and Liddle previously held C-level positions at Taptap Send, a major player in cross-border remittances across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. While consumer remittances have seen significant innovation, they identified a gap in business payments, where SMEs struggle with slow, costly transactions. Watson, a seasoned FinTech entrepreneur who Co-founded and exited Hubble, brings the technical expertise to scale the platform.
Since going through Y Combinator just 13 months ago, Capi Money has expanded to four African countries, achieved multi-million-dollar revenue, and built a lean team of 13 people. With a user-friendly, self-service onboarding process and a 24/7 payments platform, Capi Money has introduced a potential solution for SMEs that need fast and reliable international transactions.
Investors see massive potential in the company’s vision. “Capi Money has already achieved multi-million-dollar revenues in just 13 months with a small but mighty team,” noted Creandum. “We are looking forward to continuing the journey with them!”
With its latest funding round, Capi Money plans to expand its footprint further, targeting a €382 billion import market in sub-Saharan Africa (as per figures from the World Bank), with expansion plans beyond.
By providing SMEs with faster, more affordable international payments, the company is positioning itself as a key player in the future of global trade.
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2025/02/capi-money-secures-e17-2-million-to-revolutionise-global-trade-for-smes-in-emerging-markets/
