Monetas AG

Monetas is a software technology company based in Zug, Switzerland.

Monetas has created a universal transaction platform that is able to execute any type of financial and legal transaction instantly, privately, and securely. Monetas has brought together advanced asymmetric encryption typically used in diplomatic communication with financial technology. The result, is a digital contracting technology that allows people to move ownership of any asset electronically.

The first deployments of Monetas technology focus on one of the most simple type of contracts; legal tender. With the ability for both commercial and central banks to issue national currencies on the platform, Monetas helps financial services move into the future. Financial inclusion in Africa is severely limited because of the high cost of brick and mortar bank networks. Nearly every African, however, has a mobile phone. By first focusing on Africa, Monetas licences software to local financial institutions who wish to drastically lower access barriers (cost) that have excluded over 2 billion people today.

Monetas users require no bank account, and users store value directly on their mobile phone; similar to a physical wallet. Having a true digital wallet increases security, and lowers operating costs drastically. Users are free to transact as they communicate on WhatsApp today. Instant, global transactions, that make the word ‘remittance’ obsolete. With only a smartphone, a user can send $0.01 to anyone, anywhere, instantly.

Monetas is an ideal leapfrogging technology. Without the need for any physical infrastructure, financial institutions will be able to rapidly expand financial inclusion, become fully digital. Users don’t need to buy any new hardware and merchants don’t need to lease expensive card terminals, they have everything they need.

Monetas is conducting a pilot of its technology with partners in Tunisia and has signed agreements to bring its platform to twelve additional African countries, providing financial services to more than 300 million people. Monetas won the 2015 Swisscom Startup Challenge, was prominently featured at CeBIT 2016, and was recognized as one of the 50 hottest fintech companies in Europe at the 2016 Money 20/20.

Monetas has raised 7m CHF to date from a large global investor community (May 16) representing over 30 countries.