← State of Embedded Finance 2026

TymeBank

“Can a kiosk-and-app hybrid digital bank scale the emerging-markets mass affordable-banking model globally before its 2028 IPO?”

Founded2015
HQJohannesburg, South Africa (parent Tyme Group HQ in Singapore)
Total raised~$500M+ disclosed
Latest roundSeries D, December 2024
Valuation$1.5B (unicorn)
IndustryFintech / Neobank
The story

Originally founded inside Commonwealth Bank of Australia as TymeDigital, divested to ARC (Patrice Motsepe) in 2018 and launched as TymeBank — South Africa's first true digital bank, differentiated by Pick n Pay/Boxer retail kiosks for in-person card issuance. Built a lower-income mass-market base, then layered credit (MoreTyme BNPL, personal loans via Sanlam JV), insurance, and SME funding (Tyme Business Advance). The 2024 Nubank-led Series D and 2026 GoTyme rebrand reposition the bank as a global emerging-markets digital banking platform (SA + Philippines, with Indonesia/Vietnam pipeline) heading toward a 2028 IPO.

Last 12 months
2024-12
2024-12
2025-06
2026-01
Product timeline
2015
Incorporated as TymeBank Limited (originally Commonwealth Bank of South Africa subsidiary)· founding
2017
Granted full banking license by SARB Prudential Authority· banking
2018
Launched as South Africa's first fully digital bank with Pick n Pay kiosk onboarding· banking
2022
Launched credit card and primary healthcare insurance products· lending
2022
Launched MoreTyme buy-now-pay-later (3 interest-free instalments)· lending
2024
Raised $250M Series D led by Nubank at $1.5B valuation — achieved unicorn status· funding
2026
Rebranded TymeBank to GoTyme Bank, aligning with group brand used in Philippines· pivot
Regulated entities
Full Bank License
South Africa (SARB Prudential Authority) · 2017
GoTyme Bank Limited (formerly Tyme Bank Limited)
Authorised Financial Services Provider
South Africa (FSCA)
GoTyme Bank Limited (FSP 49140)
Registered Credit Provider
South Africa (NCR)
GoTyme Bank Limited (NCRCP 10774)
The stack
Payments / PSP
PayShap (SA real-time rails, self-operated)Mastercard debit (self-issued)Apple Pay (wallet)
Banking / BaaS
GoTyme Bank Limited (in-house, SARB-licensed full bank)
Card issuing
IDEMIA (card manufacturing/personalization)
Lending
MoreTyme (BNPL, 3 interest-free instalments)Tyme Business Advance (merchant cash advance up to R5M)Tyme Personal Loans (Sanlam JV)GrantAdvance (SASSA grant advance)TymeAdvance
Accounting gap: significant