Optasia Plans $375M Johannesburg IPO in JSE’s Largest Fintech Listing

BREAKING NEWSOctober 9, 2025 at 1:04 PM UTC

TLDR

Dubai-based fintech Optasia, partly owned by Ethos Capital, plans to list on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), targeting up to 6.3 billion rand ($375 million)
The offering includes a 1.3 billion rand ($75 million) primary issuance to fund expansion and acquisitions, and a 5 billion rand ($300 million) secondary sale
Founded in 2012, Optasia operates across 38 countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, partnering with 49 mobile operators and 13 financial institutions

Dubai-based fintech Optasia, partly owned by Ethos Capital, plans to list on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), targeting up to 6.3 billion rand ($375 million) in what could become the largest fintech IPO in the exchange’s history.

The offering includes a 1.3 billion rand ($75 million) primary issuance to fund expansion and acquisitions, and a 5 billion rand ($300 million) secondary sale by existing shareholders via private placement to institutional investors. Shares will trade under the code OPA in the Finance and Credit Services sector, pending regulatory approval.

Founded in 2012, Optasia operates across 38 countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, partnering with 49 mobile operators and 13 financial institutions. The company serves 121 million active users, processing 32 million microloan transactions daily, and has disbursed over $23 billion in credit since inception.

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Key Takeaways

Optasia’s planned IPO underscores Johannesburg’s growing appeal as a hub for African fintech listings and signals renewed investor appetite for profitable, high-growth digital lenders. With $151.2 million in 2024 revenue and a 90% year-on-year increase to $117.2 million in H1 2025, Optasia combines scale, diversification, and profitability — traits increasingly rare among emerging-market fintechs. Its AI-driven credit scoring platform has become a backbone for mobile lending across developing economies, leveraging telecom partnerships with MTN, Airtel, and Vodacom to expand access to microfinance. The listing also represents a milestone for Ethos Capital, providing liquidity while positioning the JSE as a regional gateway for fintech capital markets activity. If successful, Optasia could set a precedent for other African and Middle Eastern fintechs seeking cross-border listings, marking a new phase in the continent’s capital markets evolution.

Finance

JSE

Optasia

Ethos Capital

Fintech

IPO