Afriex Strengthens Cross-Border Payments Infrastructure with New GIB Partnership
The partnership is expected to strengthen the banking infrastructure supporting Afriex’s B2B Payments API, enabling faster settlement, broader regulatory coverage and access to Global USD Accounts for businesses moving money across more than 35 countries.
Afriex, a cross-border payments infrastructure company processing more than $600 million in annual payment volume, has announced a new sponsor and settlement banking partnership with Global Innovations Bank (GIB).
The partnership is expected to strengthen the banking infrastructure supporting Afriex’s B2B Payments API, enabling faster settlement, broader regulatory coverage and access to Global USD Accounts for businesses moving money across more than 35 countries.
Originally established as a consumer remittance company, Afriex has evolved into a global payments infrastructure platform supporting cross-border payouts for remittance providers, payroll companies, e-commerce platforms, fintechs, banks and other financial institutions.
Its API combines licensed local payment rails with global banking connectivity, allowing businesses to launch and scale international payment products without having to build local infrastructure independently.
The partnership with GIB forms part of Afriex’s broader strategy to develop a global banking network that combines local market expertise with international settlement capabilities. Its existing banking relationships include Choice Bank in Kenya and United Bank for Africa (UBA) in Nigeria, supporting the company’s regulated payment infrastructure across emerging markets.
“Building global payment infrastructure isn’t just about adding more corridors—it’s about building the banking foundation that makes every transaction faster, more reliable, and easier for our customers to scale. Global Innovations Bank understands the complexity of cross-border payments because their team has lived it firsthand. Their experience and long-term approach make them an ideal partner as we continue building the infrastructure powering the next generation of global fintech.”
– Tope Alabi, Founder and CEO, Afriex
Under the agreement, Global Innovations Bank will provide sponsor and settlement banking services to support Afriex’s expanding payments infrastructure. The services will include faster settlement across supported payment corridors, Global USD Account access, expanded banking and regulatory coverage for licensed money movement, and greater operational resilience as transaction volumes increase.
The partnership will also support the potential introduction of additional treasury, foreign exchange and global account capabilities that Afriex plans to roll out over the coming year.
“Our team has spent years solving the challenges of cross-border money movement. That experience gives us a deep appreciation for what Afriex has built. Their disciplined compliance program, strong technical infrastructure, and focus on emerging markets make them exactly the kind of fintech we want to help scale.”
– Alex Goody, Chief Product Officer, Global Innovations Bank
The partnership became effective in the second quarter of 2026 and marks another step in Afriex’s efforts to build financial infrastructure for companies developing cross-border products.
With banking partnerships spanning the United States, Nigeria, Kenya and other strategic markets, Afriex is continuing to expand the regulated banking network supporting its global payments platform.
