Where Lazao opens, when, and with which payment method
Kenya and Madagascar first, soon. Then one more country every six months, in the order we will announce. This page says where Lazao opens, with which payment method, and in which languages the interface comes.
The principle
We open a country when we can collect mobile money there, and we open only one at a time. That criterion explains the list: a country where the mobile wallet is marginal does not become a market because it is large. One country at a time, because opening a country means integrating its mobile money operator, its tax rules and its languages, then having each language proofread by a native speaker. Six months is the time it takes to do that well.
Kenya and Madagascar open first: the former because mobile money is more deeply rooted there than anywhere in the world, the latter because the direct MVola integration and Malagasy as an interface language were ready from day one. Each following country opens roughly six months after the previous one, and the order will be announced in the news with the operator chosen and the languages added. Everywhere else, the platforms stay reachable and payable by card, in dollars, from day one.
The first two countries
At the opening, the Lazao+ price is converted to local currency and rounded, and payment is made from your mobile wallet. The operator’s fee and the aggregator’s fee are ours to bear. Everywhere else, bank cards work from day one, in dollars.
| Country | Currency | Interface languages | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya | KES | Swahili, English | Opening soon |
| Madagascar | MGA | Malagasy, French | Opening soon |
The next countries will open one at a time, every six months, in the order we will announce. Malagasy is a full interface language, on the same footing as the other three.