Verto, a global B2B payments platform that provides a fast, simple, and reliable way for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to make payments to their suppliers in over 200 countries across 39 currencies, has raised $10 million in a Series A round of funding led by leading fintech investor Quona Capital, alongside The Treasury, Middle East Venture Partners (MEVP), TMT Investments, Unicorn Growth Capital, Zrosk Investments and P1 Ventures. Previous investors include Y Combinator, Accelerated Digital Ventures, and Ace & Company.
Verto will use the investment to continue building its platform to enable businesses to move money across borders seamlessly and instantly, solving important pain points in the B2B global payments industry, which is expected to grow to nearly USD 200 trillion by 2028, over six times the size of the retail payments market. The company also plans to accelerate its geographical expansion into emerging markets such as Africa, a region where SMEs cross-border payment needs are currently significantly underaddressed.
Verto was launched in 2018 by Nigerian co-founders Ola Oyetayo and Anthony Oduwole. In their previous experience at top-tier UK banks, the two saw firsthand that while trade and supply chains are increasingly global, international payments remain a complicated and expensive proposition, especially in emerging markets where local currencies are less familiar and less liquid than those of more developed economies.
And while the proliferation of peer-to-peer and remittance companies has started to address this pain point for consumers in emerging markets, the B2B market—which serves the SME sector and accounts for nearly 30% of global imports and 45% of total employment in emerging markets—has remained largely untouched.
Vertos fast and frictionless global payments platform uses its “marketplace” solution to match businesses efficiently, especially where one of the currency pairs is an illiquid currency.
ABOUT VERTO
Verto is a global B2B payments solution that helps businesses send money to anyone, anywhere. Founded in 2017, the company is on a mission to solve cross-border payments problems for SMEs, including lack of liquidity, large transaction fees, and long settlement periods. Today, Verto helps 2,000+ customers from startups to SMEs to large corporate companies facilitate $ billions in transactions on a yearly basis. Using the companys liquidity and price discovery marketplace solution, new customers can convert between 39 currencies, open a bank account or create wallets in seconds, allowing them to make global payments through a single platform.
ABOUT QUONA
Quona Capital is a venture firm focused on fintech that can expand access for underserved customers and small businesses in emerging markets including Africa, Latin America, and South and Southeast Asia. Quona‘s global partners are experienced investors and operators in both emerging and developed markets, and invest in entrepreneurs whose companies have the potential to provide outstanding financial returns and promote breakthrough innovation in financial inclusion for both consumers and SMEs. Some of Quona’s other investments in the region include Yoco, Sokowatch, Cowrywise, and Lulalend. The firms impact efforts have been recognized through its selection as a prestigious “ImpactAssets 50 Impact Fund” for the past two years. Quona got its start through a strategic relationship with Accion, a global nonprofit with a legacy in microfinance and fintech impact investing.
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