Opera's MiniPay Hits 15 Million Users Across Africa

Millions of Africans are quietly embracing a new way to save and spend money that protects them from inflation and banking fees.

MiniPay, a stablecoin wallet backed by web browser company Opera, just reached 15 million activated wallets across seven African countries. That's more than double the number from last year, representing a 123% jump in users who trust the app with their money.

The app launched in Nigeria in September 2023 as a feature inside Opera Mini's browser. Last year it became a standalone app, and the growth hasn't stopped since.

What makes this remarkable isn't just the numbers. It's what they represent: everyday people in countries with unstable currencies are choosing digital dollars over traditional banking for daily transactions.

MiniPay operates across Nigeria, Kenya, and five other African markets where local currencies can lose value quickly and bank fees eat into small earnings. Users can send money, pay bills, and save in stablecoins pegged to the US dollar, all from their phones.

The app emerged from Opera's recognition that Africa needed financial tools designed for its unique challenges. High banking costs, currency volatility, and limited access to stable savings options create real problems for millions of families.

The Ripple Effect

MiniPay's success signals something bigger happening across Africa. The continent has become a global testing ground for cryptocurrency payments and dollar savings products that work for ordinary people, not just tech enthusiasts.

Similar apps like Bitget Wallet and UglyCash are betting on the same trend. They're proving that when you give people accessible tools to protect their earnings and send money cheaply, they'll use them regardless of whether they understand blockchain technology.

Murray Spark, Senior Director of Business Development at Opera, confirmed the app started in Nigeria before expanding to Kenya and other key African markets in 2025. The growth shows that solutions designed for real problems can scale rapidly when they deliver genuine value.

For 15 million people across Africa, having a stable place to store value and make payments isn't about speculation or investment. It's about basic financial security in economies where that's been hard to achieve.

This quiet revolution in mobile payments shows how technology can solve real problems when it focuses on people's actual needs.