Category: Fintech
Bitcoin has been trading at a 100% premium in Zimbabwe, will it continue to do so if things change after the military takeover?
Recently, the number one issue which made journalists from outside Zimbabwe call Techzim for a comment has been Bitcoin. Why? Bitcoin was (and still is) trading at a premium in Zimbabwe. On Tuesday the 14th of November 2017 the rate of Bitcoin against the USD in Zimbabwe was almost twice that of the international rate. […]
$11 Billion Processed On Mobile Platforms In Nine Months
Okay, we knew Zimbabwe went mobile when it comes to processing payments but $11 billion? In the time it takes for a child to be born? That is impressive. The figures come from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) and relate to the nine months from January to September 2017. In that time 485 million […]
How effective an innovation is Swipe into EcoCash???
Innovation is always a good thing, even better when it addresses the real problems on the ground (not sure though if something is still worth being called an innovation if it doesn’t). Anyway, EcoCash recently launched its latest innovation, Swipe into EcoCash. The innovation has so far been met with different responses though most seem to […]
[Video] NetOne switches to Mpesa platform to resurrect their mobile money platform OneMoney
OneMoney is running on the biggest mobile money platform Mpesa in a bid to redeem themselves from the misfire of OneWallet. Quick NetOne, Econet, And Telecel Airtime Recharge Number to recharge: Airtime amount ($): EcoCash or OneMoney number: Buy Please dial our USSD code *405# on your phone to buy airtime because this page will […]
[Video] “OneWallet was a disgrace. We lost $6 million dollars” says Zim government
OneWallet which was NetOne’s first attempt at a mobile money solution used up $6 million to set up and only recovered $51 000 during its operation. Zim ICT Minister Supa Mandiwanzira disclosed this during a rebranding of the mobile money service yesterday. The minister said that the OneWallet project was a disgrace to the public […]
[Video] Here’s how Swipe to EcoCash works
A live demo displaying how you can swipe money from a bank card via a POS machine directly into your EcoCash wallet. Quick NetOne, Econet, And Telecel Airtime Recharge Number to recharge: Airtime amount ($): EcoCash or OneMoney number: Buy Please dial our USSD code *405# on your phone to buy airtime because this page […]
Questions you might have on the new ‘Swipe Into EcoCash’ service answered.
Earlier on,Techzim wrote an article on the new service EcoCash launched this morning called the Swipe into EcoCash. You probably have a number of questions around the product and EcoCash has attempted to answer them below. We would have loved to call them Frequently Answered Questions (FAQs) but well… Anyway, QUESTION 1. Can I swipe […]
Now you can swipe money from any bank into your EcoCash account.
Are you one of those who’s been inconvenienced because your bank hasn’t integrated with EcoCash (or it’s EcoCash that hasn’t integrated with your bank)? Well, no more worries. EcoCash, today unveiled a new product to address that. So instead of integrating with banks, EcoCash has decided to integrate with Zimswitch… smart huh? (Well, not really […]
See the status of banks on ZIPIT, send and receive status, USSD codes and more
Let us start with an assumption that we all are familiar with ZIPIT now, the interbank transfer processor. With the ongoing cash crisis Zimbabwe is facing ZIPIT has grown in importance. The interbank processor connects 20 banks and allows any mobile registered user on any network to send money from their bank account to another […]
How to set up a Bitcoin wallet for personal use
The last time Techzim wrote about Bitcoin basics, we got a request from Intrigued asking for a follow up article on ‘how to set up Bitcoin for personal use’. The best way way I figured to attack this is by talking about Bitcoin wallets and most importantly how to set it up. We briefly talked […]
Where does Bitcoin get it’s value? Bitcoin 101 Ep2
We look at how bitcoin obtains its value. We talk about its capabilities of anonymous transacting as well as transparency of its circulation. Also in the mix is the benefits of decentralizing it which makes it almost impossible for one person to determine its value. Quick NetOne, Econet, And Telecel Airtime Recharge Number to recharge: […]
How did an EcoCash agent steal over $12000, are new security measures needed?
Tafadzwa Taziveyi was (is?) an EcoCash agent in Hwange who worked (works?) from Shanduka Econet shop. Tafadzwa is 23 years old and as all young adults probably feel, he felt he could do with a little more money in his life. He decided the law was a hindrance and found himself a friend who felt […]
Bitcoin basics: From layman to layman
Quick question: what are your greatest fears on cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin to be precise? Maybe we can start there, but before that let’s go through 1 or 2 things together shall we? I know we’ve written a number of articles on Bitcoin here on Techzim, but whenever we do there’s always a comment from someone asking […]
How To Pay For Tollgate Fees Using EcoCash
EcoCash recently partnered with Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) to allow you to make payments for tollgate fees using the popular mobile money platform, EcoCash. The payment method is now available at all tollgates across Zimbabwe. So if you’d like to start paying for tollgates using EcoCash, you might be wondering how to do it, […]
CABS Mobile Banking Goes Offline, Throws Blame on Econet
The mobile banking of CABS Bank went offline today and people were not able to use the mobile banking platform to make transactions. CABS has sent out a notice to people who use the bank notifying them that the technical challenges that the mobile banking platform is facing are not their fault. CABS attributes the […]
Are Zimbabweans ready for exclusive internet banking?
So three banks have gone exclusive with internet banking or mobile banking when it comes to processing RTGS and internal transfers. First, it was NMB when they switched to just internet and mobile banking then ZB Bank followed along in early September and for them, transfers are now only done through internet banking. Recently, Steward […]
Steward Bank goes exclusive with mobile and online banking, no more manual transfers
So recently, ZB Bank announced that they are no longer going to be processing manual RTGS and internal transfer application forms instead, these transactions will be done exclusively on their internet banking platform. On the other hand, NMB Bank was one of the first banks to move to exclusive online banking and mobile banking for […]
Press Release: BitFinance changes name to Golix
BitFinance the bitcoin company is rebranding as it moves away from just being a bitcoin company to be a digital currency company. The previous name BitFinance was appropriate when they launched as a bitcoin company. Golix is the new name. Hey there, We’re thrilled to have you as an integral part of our vision and […]
EcoCash and ZIPIT should know the power they have, these system outages are not acceptable
Since yesterday EcoCash users have been facing some challenges making payments. EcoCash acknowledged the system problems on Twitter in response to frustrated Twimbos who were asking. It is frustratingly slow to load if it even loads and EcoCash communicated that they are working to resolve the issue, on Twitter. Why not SMSs advising people that […]
You are not the only one, EcoCash is down
People have been reporting that EcoCash is facing some challenges since last night. Service was restored a bit since then but it seems to be facing challenges again today. Several people have shared that EcoCash is not working for them as they are trying to make some transactions using the mobile payment solution. For some […]
Ecobank introduces Scan+Pay, a way for you to make payments much faster
Ecobank recently announced that they’re launching a new service called Scan+Pay which will be available in 33 countries across Africa. Scan+Pay is a service that will allow you to scan a barcode image (QR code) using your smartphone so that you can pay for goods or send money to someone else. The service is the […]
What the heck is this bitcoin? Bitcoin 101 Ep1
So the new kid on the block is Bitcoin but what is it anyway? We look at the definition of bitcoin hopefully in its simplest form. We relate bitcoin to the classic paper style money we all are familiar with and touch the slightest bit on it being a Fiat Currency. Quick NetOne, Econet, And […]
How do I stay safe when using internet banking?
Most banks in Zimbabwe now offer you online banking. Some banks like ZB Bank have completely stopped processing manual RTGS and internal transfer application forms. So given how you might already be using internet banking or will soon start using it, you might be wondering how do I stay safe when using internet banking? Here […]
Looking for a job? You in the right place…
A Fintech company in Zimbabwe, Golix ( Update: previously known as BitFinance) has some fresh vacancies… 4 to be precise! This is obviously good news, I mean it goes without saying. There isn’t much formal employment available, in fact there hasn’t been in a while. So here’s a chance for you to be that Product Manager, Designer, Data […]
Zimswitch explains ZIPIT outage yesterday
Yesterday, the 25th of September 2017, ZIPIT (Zimswitch Instant Payment Interchange Technology) went offline and as the interbank transfer processor has grown in popularity, panic gripped the populace. The facility which connects over 20 banks is integral to most people’s transactions especially as more and more Zimbabweans use mobile banking and plastic money. As thousands […]
Zimswitch Goes Down For 3 Hours Today. Business Comes To A Standstill
Many people report that Zimswitch went down for around 3 hours in the afternoon of today. Due to the outage, several businesses were not able to process swipe transactions which rely on Zimswitch to be working. Apart from that, people were also not able to use ZimSwitch Instant Payment Interchange Technology (ZIPIT) to make transfers […]
WorldRemit shuts down airtime transfers from South Africa
WorldRemit, the remittance company with the online service which allows people to send money all over the world has announced that it is no longer possible for users in South Africa to top up airtime for friends abroad. The company did not give any explanation as to why the service was shut down. So if […]
How to send money from Zimbabwe to South Africa? Study 263 uses Bitcoin to help you do that
With the recent cash crisis that has hit Zimbabwe, it has become more difficult for you to send money from Zimbabwe to South Africa. It’s become difficult because most of the companies that make the transactions easier like Western Union and Mukuru are now strictly accepting USD. Well, Study 263, a new startup, aims to […]
How do I register for ZB Bank Internet banking?
ZB Bank recently announced that they will be discontuning the processing of manual RTGS and Internal Transfer application forms. As the changes will take effect from 1 October, you might be wondering how do I register for ZB Bank Internet banking since the transfers will now be processed through the ZB Bank Internet banking platform. […]
No Jamie Dimon, Bitcoin is no fraud! You either don’t understand it, or you intend to deceive the people!
This post was written by a Guest Author. The views expressed in this article do not reflect those of Techzim but of the Guest Author. No Jamie Dimon, Bitcoin is no fraud. It’s either you don’t understand it, or you intend to deceive the people or both! When I talk about crypto-currencies, I often draw […]