How Opera’s MiniPay is Serving as a Distribution Channel for African Blockchain Startups

MiniPay, the stablecoin wallet platform owned by Opera and built on the Celo blockchain, is pursuing a strategy to build a robust ecosystem around the wallet. Its core value proposition lies in offering emerging startups immediate access to a growing user base.

Through a $40 million fund launched late last year [2024], MiniPay is dedicated to supporting startups that build on or integrate with the MiniPay wallet. As the fastest-growing non-custodial wallet in Africa, MiniPay recently reached the top spot on Kenya’s Google Play Store, surpassing major apps like Facebook and WhatsApp, according to Alex Witt who managed the fund.

“We’re harnessing this momentum to help startups grow and scale,” Witt said in a recent interview.

So far, the fund has backed the following startups operating across the continent:

• Pretium Africa: A last-mile infrastructure provider
• Partna: An on/off-ramp startup that went through Y Combinator and is already integrated in Nigeria
• Mento: Offers local stablecoins, including the Kenyan shilling and West African CFA franc
• Mural: Enables instant payments to African contractors working with global companies

At its core, MiniPay, which won the Web3 award at the Africa Tech Summit in February 2025, serves as a powerful distribution channel helping startups grow by connecting them with a rapidly expanding user base, according to Witt.

For many young companies, the toughest hurdle is user acquisition – and MiniPay addresses that by being the fastest-growing non-custodial wallet in Africa.

Crucially, there’s no exclusivity clause. Startups MiniPay supports are free to build on other blockchains and explore additional distribution avenues.

“What we offer is premium exposure: an opportunity to tap into a wallet ecosystem that’s already experiencing rapid growth. It’s essentially a gateway to scale.”

Speaking about the potential they see in stablecoins, Witt said Africa’s complex and fragmented financial systems make cross-border payments particularly challenging. With 54 different currencies and high transaction friction, the demand for dollar access is clear – over 99% of the stablecoin market is denominated in USD.

In countries like Nigeria, where inflation and capital controls are persistent issues, dollar-backed stablecoins serve as a powerful solution for both saving and transacting. MiniPay simplifies this access: users can send money using just a phone number, pay fees in the same token, and enjoy instant settlement – all without needing prior crypto knowledge.

In particular, local stablecoins will play a crucial role in unlocking everyday financial use cases within national economies – from subscriptions and tax payments to more impactful services like borrowing and lending.

MiniPay operates with an investment committee composed of three members, which typically reaches a decision within a week.

The fund invests between $250,000 and $1 million in startups across various stages – from early product development to those already experiencing profitable growth. The key requirement is clear: your company should be able to leverage the MiniPay platform to accelerate its growth.