“Can a licensed Francophone-Africa B2B payments platform become the default professional account for SMEs and public institutions across WAEMU by owning both mobile-money and bank rails?”
Founded 2018 in Côte d'Ivoire to digitize B2B payments by bridging mobile money networks (Orange, MTN, Moov, Wave) with traditional bank accounts for businesses. Initially relied on bank partners to issue e-money; with the 2024 BCEAO regulatory overhaul, Julaya pursued its own licensing — securing Payment Institution status in May 2025 and an EMI license in 2026, allowing direct e-money issuance without bank intermediaries. The company is now expanding cash management and SME credit across Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Benin, and Togo.
Julaya discloses Julaya (in-house, BCEAO EMI licensed) as its banking provider, according to the Embedded Finance Index 2026.
Julaya does not disclose a bank charter of its own; its banking services are provided through Julaya (in-house, BCEAO EMI licensed).
Julaya processes payments through Julaya (self-operated, BCEAO Payment Institution & EMI licensed) and Mobile money rails: Orange Money, MTN MoMo, Moov, Wave, Wizall, Djamo (integrated).
The Embedded Finance Index 2026 maps 3 layers in Julaya's stack: Payments / PSP (Julaya (self-operated, BCEAO Payment Institution & EMI licensed) and Mobile money rails: Orange Money, MTN MoMo, Moov, Wave, Wizall, Djamo (integrated)); Banking / BaaS (Julaya (in-house, BCEAO EMI licensed)); Lending (SME credit / business loans (in-house, expanding with CDC-CI Capital financing) and Emergency funding via Mobile Money).
Julaya was founded by Mathias Léopoldie and Charles Talbot and is founded in 2018, headquartered in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire (with office at 32 avenue Henri Varagnat, Bondy, France).
Julaya has raised ~$8.4M disclosed in total (latest round: Convertible bonds, October 2025).
Get a read on where your own stack stands against Julaya and the rest of its category — what they built versus bought, which providers they use, and where the gaps in your own strategy and competitive set actually are.