African businesses operating across borders are set to gain access to a new multi-currency corporate card as Verto, a B2B global payments platform, partners with Visa to expand international payment options for companies facing foreign-exchange costs, payment failures and local banking constraints.
The new Verto Card, launched at a time when African businesses are increasingly dependent on cross-border digital commerce, allows companies to fund, spend and settle transactions across multiple currencies, with zero FX markups on eligible currencies.
The card is linked directly to Verto wallets and can be used across 150 million merchants globally, giving businesses access to 11 supported currencies without having to manually transfer funds between wallets for each transaction.
The currencies include the US dollar, euro, Japanese yen, pound sterling, Swiss franc, Canadian dollar, Australian dollar, New Zealand dollar, Norwegian krone and Swedish krona, while the platform provides indirect access to 160 additional currencies.
The product is designed to reduce some of the payment friction associated with operating in foreign markets for African SMEs, importers, software-as-a-service businesses and digital media buyers, particularly where conventional corporate cards are tied to a single settlement currency.
Ola Oyetayo, CEO and co-founder of Verto, said African businesses had historically faced limitations from corporate cards that imposed undisclosed fees, restricted currency options or experienced payment declines because they operated on prepaid rails.
“This new partnership with Visa reshapes corporate cards for international businesses, moving beyond the limitations of traditional banking and prepaid card structures, and expanding what is possible for global business transactions,” Oyetayo said.
The launch gives Verto a stronger position in the corporate payments market, extending its proposition beyond payment infrastructure for businesses and into the spending and settlement layer of international commerce.
The partnership comes as African companies increasingly participate in cross-border digital commerce, including imports, software subscriptions, advertising, technology services and other international transactions where access to reliable payment rails remains critical.
Shahebaz Khan, senior vice-president and head of commercial and money movement at Visa, said the partnership reflected the growing importance of combining global payment connectivity with locally relevant financial technology.
“Through our partnership with Verto, we are expanding access to modern payment capabilities that help businesses move money more efficiently, while enabling fintechs and financial institutions to deliver new value to their customers,” Khan said.
Security and spending controls are built into the card. Verto said sensitive card information remains within its platform, while transactions are authenticated through 3D Secure using a one-time passcode or in-app confirmation.
Businesses can also impose controls based on factors including transaction dates, times and merchant categories, providing companies with greater oversight of employee and corporate card spending.
The partnership also creates a pathway for Verto to expand its card infrastructure beyond direct customers.
The company plans to integrate the cards with Google Pay and introduce a Cards-as-a-Service offering through its Atlas infrastructure. The model would allow fintechs and banks to embed card issuance into their own platforms through white-label arrangements backed by Verto’s licensing and Visa’s payment network.
The move is also expected to expand the addressable market for Verto by allowing other financial technology companies and institutions to use its card infrastructure rather than developing their own international card programmes.
As companies increasingly pay suppliers, technology providers, advertising platforms and other service providers outside their home markets, payment reliability and the cost of moving money have become increasingly important components of international business economics.
Verto said the new card is intended to address those challenges by combining multi-currency wallets with Visa’s global acceptance network, allowing businesses to transact internationally without being constrained by a single settlement currency.
The company plans to build further on the proposition through additional wallet integrations and its Cards-as-a-Service infrastructure, positioning the product as part of a deeper drive to provide African businesses with financial tools for operating across borders.
