• CDC-CI Capital invests CFA800 million in Julaya through convertible bonds.
• The fintech will expand payment, cash management, and SME credit services.
• Julaya strengthens its presence in Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Senegal, and Togo.

Ivorian fintech Julaya, which specializes in payment solutions for businesses, signed on October 17, 2025, a CFA800 million ($1.41 million) financing agreement with CDC-CI Capital, the public investment fund of Côte d’Ivoire’s Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations.

The financing takes the form of convertible bonds, a hybrid instrument combining loan and equity features. According to Arthur Coulibaly, Managing Director of CDC-CI Capital, the bonds may be converted into shares within two to three years if Julaya meets predefined financial and operational targets.

The funds will be used to strengthen Julaya’s service offering. The company plans to expand its electronic payment, fund collection, and cash management solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It also intends to develop short-term financing products, including credit services for SMEs, to help businesses improve cash flow management.

Julaya, which serves more than 1,000 corporate clients, supports SMEs and organizations in digitizing their financial operations. The company aims to enhance its technological infrastructure to keep pace with the growth of its transaction volumes, which now exceed CFA1,000 billion annually.

This financing follows the company’s payment institution license granted five months ago by the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO). Founded in 2018 by Mathias Léopoldie and Charles Talbot, Julaya operates in Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Senegal, and Togo. In 2024, it recorded 820,000 transactions in Senegal, up 37% from 2023, with more than 2,800 active users in that market.