Africa's $30B FinTech wave meets LATAM's digital payments surge

The financial technology (FinTech) sector is reshaping global commerce, and cross-border trade between the United States and Latin America and Africa is at the heart of this transformation. With over 2,000 FinTech startups in Latin America alone, and a rapidly growing ecosystem in Africa—home to more than 600 active FinTech firms—the opportunity for US buyers and LATAM/African suppliers is immense. Mobile money platforms, digital lending, payments infrastructure, and blockchain solutions are driving financial inclusion and efficiency across emerging markets.

For US buyers, sourcing innovative FinTech solutions from Latin America and Africa offers cost advantages, specialized talent, and locally-tested products that can be adapted for global markets. For suppliers in these regions, the US market represents the largest and most sophisticated demand for financial technology, with enterprise buyers, banks, and investors actively seeking proven solutions. Coppermont bridges this gap, providing strategic trade advisory that connects US buyers with vetted FinTech suppliers from Latin America and Africa, and guiding exporters through the complex regulatory and commercial landscape of the US market.

Latin America’s FinTech sector has grown explosively, with total funding reaching $4.1 billion in 2021, representing a 214% increase from the previous year, according to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Africa’s FinTech ecosystem is equally dynamic, with revenues projected to reach $30 billion by 2025, driven by mobile money adoption and digital payments (McKinsey & Company, 2022). The US remains the world’s largest market for financial technology, with total spending on FinTech solutions exceeding $150 billion in 2023.

This creates a powerful pull for exporters from Latin America and Africa, who bring deep understanding of underbanked populations, mobile-first design, and regulatory agility. Coppermont’s advisory services help these suppliers navigate US compliance frameworks, identify the right buyer segments, and structure partnerships that scale.

Exporting Financial Technology to the United States

Latin American and African FinTech companies are exporting a wide range of solutions to the US, including digital payments platforms, peer-to-peer lending systems, blockchain-based remittance services, insurtech applications, and regulatory technology (RegTech) tools. For example, Brazilian FinTechs like Nubank and StoneCo have already demonstrated the viability of Latin American digital banking models in the US market. Mexican fintechs specializing in cross-border remittances and payroll solutions are increasingly sought after by US employers with large Hispanic workforces.

In Africa, Kenyan and Nigerian mobile money platforms—such as M-Pesa and Flutterwave—have expanded into the US, offering low-cost payment rails for diaspora communities and small businesses. US buyer types include community banks seeking digital transformation partners, large financial institutions looking for innovative risk assessment tools, e-commerce platforms needing payment gateways, and venture capital firms scouting for investment-ready FinTech startups. The demand is particularly strong for solutions that address financial inclusion, fraud detection, and real-time payments—areas where Latin American and African innovators often excel due to their experience serving underbanked populations.

Importing Financial Technology from the United States

While the primary trade flow is FinTech exports from Latin America and Africa to the US, there is also a growing market for US financial technology solutions in these regions. US-based FinTech companies are exporting core banking platforms, cybersecurity solutions, and advanced analytics tools to Latin American and African financial institutions. For instance, US providers of Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance software are in high demand as regulators in Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, and Kenya tighten requirements.

Similarly, US cloud-based banking infrastructure is being adopted by neobanks and digital lenders across Latin America and Africa to accelerate time-to-market. The use cases span from modernizing legacy systems in established banks to enabling new entrants to launch digital financial services. Market context: Latin America’s banking penetration is still below 60% in many countries, while Africa’s is below 40%, creating enormous potential for US FinTechs offering scalable, affordable solutions.

Coppermont assists US companies in identifying qualified local partners, navigating data privacy regulations, and structuring distribution agreements that comply with local laws.

Regulatory and Compliance Overview for Financial Technology

The FinTech sector is heavily regulated in both the US and source markets, making compliance a critical success factor for cross-border trade. In the United States, FinTech companies must navigate a patchwork of federal and state regulations, including the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), anti-money laundering (AML) requirements, consumer protection laws enforced by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and state-level money transmitter licenses. For exporters from Latin America and Africa, understanding these requirements is essential to avoid penalties and build trust with US buyers.

Key compliance areas include data privacy (with implications from state laws like the California Consumer Privacy Act), cybersecurity standards (such as those from the National Institute of Standards and Technology), and payment card industry data security standards (PCI DSS) for any solution handling card transactions. In Latin America, countries like Brazil have their own comprehensive data protection law (LGPD), which may require US buyers to ensure cross-border data flows are compliant. In Africa, data protection regulations are evolving rapidly, with Nigeria’s Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) and South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) setting the standard.

Coppermont provides regulatory mapping and compliance roadmaps for FinTech suppliers entering the US market, and helps US buyers conduct due diligence on potential Latin American and African partners to ensure they meet US regulatory expectations.

Countries and Trade Corridors Active in Financial Technology

Several trade corridors are particularly active in FinTech. From Latin America, the leading exporter countries are Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and Chile. Brazil’s FinTech ecosystem is the most mature, with over 1,400 startups and a strong focus on digital banking, payments, and lending.

Mexico benefits from its proximity to the US and a large unbanked population, driving demand for remittance and payroll solutions. Colombia and Argentina are emerging hubs for insurtech and blockchain applications, respectively. In Africa, the key corridors are Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, and Egypt.

Kenya is the birthplace of mobile money and continues to lead in mobile payments and savings products. Nigeria has the largest FinTech funding in Africa, with startups focused on payments, lending, and business-to-business financial infrastructure. South Africa offers a more mature regulatory environment and is a gateway to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.

Ghana and Egypt are growing rapidly, with government support for digital financial services. The US market for FinTech is concentrated in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Miami, with Miami emerging as a particularly important hub for Latin American FinTech due to its large Hispanic population and business connections. Coppermont maintains deep relationships across its Latin American FinTech corridors, enabling efficient matchmaking and market entry support.

How Coppermont Advisory Works for Financial Technology

Coppermont’s approach to FinTech trade advisory is tailored to the unique characteristics of the sector. For Latin American and African FinTech suppliers, we begin with a comprehensive US market readiness assessment, evaluating your product’s regulatory compliance, competitive positioning, and potential buyer segments. We then develop a market entry strategy that may include direct sales to US financial institutions, partnerships with US FinTech platforms, or white-labeling arrangements.

Our team assists with navigating US licensing requirements, connecting you with legal and compliance experts, and identifying trade shows and networking events where you can showcase your solution. For US buyers—including banks, fintech companies, and payment processors—we offer a vetted sourcing service that identifies qualified FinTech suppliers from Latin America and Africa. We conduct technical due diligence, verify regulatory compliance, and facilitate introductions.

Our advisory extends to structuring commercial agreements, managing cross-border data privacy issues, and providing ongoing support as the relationship develops. Coppermont’s network spans 25 markets across Latin America and Lusophone Africa, and we have direct experience in the financial technology space, having advised multiple clients on successful US market entries and supplier partnerships.

Whether you are a FinTech innovator in São Paulo or Luanda looking to break into the US market, or a US financial institution seeking cutting-edge solutions from Latin America or Africa, Coppermont provides the expertise, connections, and strategic guidance to make cross-border trade work. The opportunities are substantial—digital payments in Latin America alone are expected to grow to $100 billion by 2025, and Africa’s FinTech revenue pool is projected to reach $30 billion by the same year (McKinsey, 2022). With the right advisory partner, you can capture your share of this growth.

Get Started with Coppermont

If you are a FinTech supplier in Latin America or Africa ready to enter the US market, contact Coppermont for your US market entry assessment. Our team will evaluate your product, identify target buyers, and create a roadmap to success. If you are a US buyer seeking qualified FinTech suppliers from Latin America or Africa, let us help you find the right partners. Reach out today to discuss your needs and discover how Coppermont can accelerate your cross-border FinTech trade.