Mastercard and DTB Join Forces to Transform East Africa's Payment Landscape

Mastercard and Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) have announced a landmark 10-year agreement to offer tailored digital payment solutions across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. This collaboration, aims to redefine the digital and banking experience for individuals and businesses in the region.

The collaboration will focus on delivering innovative, secure, and convenient payment solutions, including bespoke card products and advanced transfer services for peer-to-peer (P2P), business-to-business (B2B), and person-to-business (P2B) transactions. In a first for Kenya, the partnership also introduces tokenization-based payment wearables bringing cutting-edge contactless technology to consumers across the country.

Introduced by Mastercard and DTB, in partnership with Tappy Technologies, Kenya’s first tokenization- based payment wearables is a significant innovation that enables consumers to make secure, contactless payments simply by tapping the wearable device at any enabled point-of-sale terminal. Tokenization technology replaces sensitive payment data with encrypted tokens, ensuring that cardholder information remains protected during transactions. The wearables offer not only enhanced security but also increased convenience, transforming everyday accessories into powerful payment tools.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Diamond Trust Bank and Tappy Technologies to launch these game- changing innovations. By combining our expertise in digital payment solutions with DTB’s strong market presence, we are enhancing the banking experience and providing customers with more secure and convenient ways to pay. This collaboration highlights our deep commitment to driving digital transformation and financial inclusion across East Africa,” said Mark Elliott, Division President, Africa, Mastercard.

Nasim Devji, Group CEO of DTB, said, “This collaboration with Mastercard will help accelerate our digital transformation journey and significantly enhance our ability to deliver innovative financial solutions to our retail, SME, corporate, and fintech clients.”

This collaboration is a testament to both Mastercard and DTB’s dedication to inclusive growth and innovation in Africa’s rapidly evolving payment landscape. By offering secure, tokenized payment wearables and comprehensive cross-border solutions, DTB and Mastercard have placed themselves at the forefront of the region’s digital revolution.

Mastercard data reveals that one in nine transactions at point-of-sale terminals in the MEA region is contactless, highlighting the increasing demand for secure, convenient payment solutions. This collaboration will bring significant benefits across the financial ecosystem—enhancing convenience and security for consumers, providing faster checkout experiences and higher approval rates for merchants, driving increased transaction volume for financial institutions through Mastercard’s ‘Top of Wallet’ approach, and enabling fintechs to achieve greater customer adoption and scale with innovative digital solutions like wearables.

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