ChitChat, the Zambian super app which aims to be the WeChat for Africa, has partnered with Mastercard to launch virtual debit cards which will allow customers to make USD payments.
Founded by Perseus Mlambo in 2023, ChitChat enables users to chat on an encrypted platform and send money. With the virtual card, users can now buy items from digital stores on the app.
ChitChat has rolled out the service to customers in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and the UK. The virtual cards will also be available in any country where Mastercard is available.
“African countries are currently going through a liquidity crisis when it comes to US dollars and that increases the cost of transacting on the internet,” Perseus Mlambo, co-founder and CEO of ChitChat’s parent company Union54 said.
”Our virtual cards mean consumers can transact directly in USD saving them a lot of currency conversion charges.”
ChitChat is the latest African startup to offer virtual dollar cards, joining the likes of Chipper Cash, Payday and Kuda. But that service comes with its challenges particularly chargeback particularly chargeback fraud which cost Union54 $1.3 billion in 2022 and forced the company to shut down for 11 months.