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§ Private Profile · Lagos, Nigeria
Secure crypto-fiat exchange for digital asset trading and cross-border payments, serving individuals and businesses across Africa.
Based in Lagos, Nigeria, Bitmama operates a secure crypto-fiat exchange platform that facilitates the trading of digital assets across the African market. The fintech company enables users to buy and sell major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, while also offering a cross-border remittance product called Changera. Through its platform, the organization generates revenue by charging fees on digital asset trading, virtual dollar card issuance, and blockchain-based loan and investment services. Operating with a distributed workforce of more than 25 employees across Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya, the enterprise is actively expanding its payment infrastructure to customers in Europe and the United States. The business, managed by executive team members including Adam Umar and Akinbola Asalu, has secured $2 million in pre-seed funding to support its international growth. Bitmama was founded in 2019 by Ruth Iselema.
Bitmama has raised $2.4M across 2 funding rounds.
Bitmama has raised $2.4M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Bitmama has raised $2.4M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Bitmama's investors include Launch Africa, Unicorn Growth Capital, Draper Associates, Fabric Ventures, Greenfield One, MS&AD Ventures, Honey Ogundeyi, Marek Olszewski, Rene Reinsberg, Adaverse, AngelList, Chrysalis Capital.
Bitmama is a fintech technology company that builds a cryptocurrency trading and payments platform focused on emerging markets, aiming to provide secure fiat–crypto on‑ramps, crypto cards, and cross‑border payments infrastructure using blockchain technologies[1][4].
High-Level Overview
Bitmama’s mission is to leverage blockchain and frontier technologies to solve financial inclusion problems and become core payments infrastructure across emerging markets[1][4].Its product set centers on a custodial exchange and wallet for buying, selling, trading and managing cryptocurrencies, plus crypto debit cards and cross‑border payment features that let users spend crypto at merchants and withdraw at ATMs[4].Bitmama primarily serves retail users and traders in emerging markets who need reliable fiat‑to‑crypto rails, as well as merchants and developers seeking blockchain payment options[1][4].The company addresses problems of limited access to fiat‑crypto on‑ramps, expensive remittances, and lack of crypto payment infrastructure in emerging economies, and it has shown growth from a 2017 P2P exchange into a broader payments and trading platform[1][4].
Origin Story
Bitmama began in 2017 as a peer‑to‑peer (P2P) digital currency exchange and quickly expanded into a broader platform for trading and managing cryptocurrencies[1].The founding team and full biographies are not detailed on the public pages cited, but the company emphasizes a small, mission‑driven team of designers, engineers and support staff focused on building open financial infrastructure[2].Early traction included scaling from P2P exchange operations into a full platform offering multiple crypto assets, wallets, and payment card functionality—an evolution highlighted on the company’s about page[1][4].
Core Differentiators
Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
Bitmama is riding the broader trends of crypto adoption, fintech for emerging markets, and demand for fiat‑crypto rails and card‑linked crypto spend solutions[1][4].Timing matters because many emerging economies are experiencing increased mobile penetration, remittance flows, and user interest in alternative stores of value and payment rails—conditions that increase demand for reliable on‑ramps and card spend[1][4].Market forces in its favor include growing retail crypto adoption, merchant acceptance of crypto payments, and regulatory clarity in some jurisdictions that encourage fintech innovation; conversely, outcomes depend on local regulation and competitive incumbents[1][4].By building payments infrastructure and consumer products, Bitmama can influence local ecosystems by lowering barriers for merchants and users to transact in crypto and by enabling startups to integrate payment rails it provides[1][4].
Quick Take & Future Outlook
Next steps for Bitmama likely include continuing geographic expansion across emerging markets, broadening supported assets and payment partners (card networks, processors), and deepening merchant integrations to grow transaction volume[1][4].Key trends that will shape its journey are regulatory developments in target countries, wider merchant acceptance of crypto payments, and competition from regional fintechs and global crypto platforms[1][4].If Bitmama successfully scales its payments infrastructure and card offerings while navigating regulation, it could solidify a position as a go‑to rails provider for blockchain payments in several emerging markets—aligning with its stated vision to be core infrastructure for blockchain payments in those regions[1].
Bitmama has raised $2.4M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $2.0M Seed in September 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2022 | $2M Seed | Launch Africa, Unicorn Growth Capital | Draper Associates, Fabric Ventures, Greenfield ONE, MS&AD Ventures, Honey Ogundeyi, Marek Olszewski, Rene Reinsberg, Adaverse, AngelList, Chrysalis Capital, Enrich Africa, Hema Vallabh, Flori Ventures, Greenhouse Capital, ODB, Tekedia Capital, Thrive Africa | Announced |
| Oct 1, 2021 | $350K Seed | Flori Ventures | Inovia Capital, Microtraction, Y Combinator, Emergence Capital, Fedha Capital | Announced |