What You Need to Know
Global fintech Verto has launched US-dollar business accounts aimed at companies operating between the US and Africa. This initiative addresses the challenges faced by firms struggling with cross-border banking access, providing a compliant way to manage funds across jurisdictions. The accounts are designed to facilitate smoother transactions and support the growing interest in African startups.
Africa-Press – Eritrea. Global fintech Verto has introduced US-dollar business accounts targeting companies operating between the US and Africa, in a move aimed at easing mounting pressure on firms struggling with cross-border banking access.
The new offering allows businesses to operate fully compliant USD accounts in their own names, providing a more stable way to receive, hold and transfer funds across jurisdictions.
The launch comes amid growing reports of startups and internationally registered companies with African operations facing difficulties maintaining banking relationships in the US.
According to Verto, the accounts are supported by US banking infrastructure and are designed to reduce friction in cross-border transactions, particularly for firms navigating payments, payroll and supplier obligations across multiple markets.
“This responds to a clear gap in the market,” said Ola Oyetayo, chief executive of Verto. “We are seeing businesses that are properly registered and investment-backed struggle to maintain banking relationships simply because they operate across borders, including in African markets.”
The launch coincides with renewed investor interest in the continent. Data from The Big Deal shows African startups raised more than $3 billion in 2025, highlighting continued capital inflows despite persistent operational constraints.
In recent months, however, founders working between the US and Africa have faced increased scrutiny from financial institutions, reflecting broader caution in global banking systems toward emerging markets.
This has created uncertainty for companies managing funds across borders, with delays and disruptions affecting routine business operations.
Industry observers say the issue underscores a wider tension in the global financial system, where stricter anti-money laundering controls are often applied in ways that fail to distinguish between high-risk activity and legitimate businesses operating in emerging economies.
Verto said its new USD accounts are tailored to companies at the centre of this challenge, including US-based firms with African operations, startups scaling across markets and businesses involved in trade and digital services.
By combining the accounts with its existing cross-border payments infrastructure, the company seeks to provide a more predictable framework for international transactions between developed and emerging markets.
“Reliable access to banking is fundamental to trade and growth,” Oyetayo said. “When businesses can move money with certainty, it strengthens not just individual companies, but the wider markets they operate in.”
Analysts note that improved access to dollar-denominated banking could help reduce transaction delays, lower costs and boost confidence among global partners. For African markets, the development may also support smoother capital inflows by simplifying payments to suppliers, employees and service providers.
The financial landscape for businesses operating between the US and Africa has been increasingly challenging, with many firms facing difficulties in maintaining banking relationships. This situation has been exacerbated by stricter regulations and heightened scrutiny from financial institutions, which often fail to differentiate between legitimate businesses and high-risk activities. As a result, companies engaged in cross-border operations have encountered delays and disruptions that hinder their growth and operational efficiency.
