Driving Digital Payments Through Social Channels

Mastercard has announced a strategic partnership with Kenya-based social commerce platform Flowcart, aiming to embed secure payment solutions directly into popular messaging apps and social media platforms across East Africa. This collaboration seeks to capitalize on the region’s rapidly growing social commerce trend, where consumers increasingly discover and purchase products through channels like WhatsApp.

Expanding Digital Payment Acceptance

The partnership will initially focus on Kenya before expanding to other key markets including South Africa, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire. By integrating Mastercard’s payment network with Flowcart’s AI-powered commerce platform, the companies aim to enable a seamless “chat-to-pay” experience for consumers.

“Social commerce is fundamentally changing how people shop,” said Shehryar Ali, senior vice president at Mastercard. “This partnership allows us to meet consumers where they already are – in their social conversations – while providing merchants with the tools to grow their businesses digitally.”

Tapping into Kenya’s Creator Economy

The solution is particularly designed to support Kenya’s burgeoning creator economy, empowering social sellers to monetize their audiences directly within platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram. With over 20% of Kenya’s e-commerce orders now processed through messaging apps, this integration addresses a significant market opportunity.

By removing friction from the purchase process and enabling repeat purchases, Mastercard and Flowcart aim to help merchants increase conversion rates and expand into previously underserved segments of the commerce space. This aligns with broader trends showing digital channels driving revenue growth for businesses worldwide.