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| Chipper Ads |
Chipper Cash has diversified its portfolio beyond offering cross-border payment services to Africans individuals and businesses. The company, once a unicorn, has announced the launch of advertising product (Ads)—Chipper ADS—to help businesses of any size reach more people in Africa.
This announcement was made by co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) Ham Serunjogi via his LinkedIn profile and X profile. "We’re launching Chipper Ads, allowing businesses of all sizes to reach millions of people globally across the Chipper platform. There’s a lot more in store and upcoming updates will include even more sophisticated targeting capabilities," Ham announced.
We’re launching Chipper Ads, allowing businesses of all sizes to reach millions of people globally across the Chipper platform. There’s a lot more in store and upcoming updates will include even more sophisticated targeting capabilities. Get started here: https://t.co/40X8Umq7cX pic.twitter.com/4yevR520mD
— Ham Serunjogi (@HSerunjogi) July 1, 2025
Chipper Cash USD virtual cards have already seen significant adoption from Nigerian businesses and entrepreneurs as they're using the card to make payments on foreign websites denominated in foreign currencies like USD, EUR, and GBP.
However, the launch of Ads Products to Chipper Cash is a way for the company to diversify its revenue stream. The ads product works by allowing businesses and entrepreneurs reach millions of users across Africa. The launch follows a period of challenges for the company, including several layoffs and operational adjustments, but seems likely to support business growth.
The company has laid off employees four times since 2022. These layoffs affected hundreds of its staffs across various markets, including the U.K., several African nations, and the U.S. In addition to that, some top executives—including the Chief Operating Officer—and some top investors—including FTX and Silicon Valley Bank—left the company.
This resulted in a temporary suspension of its U.S. operations in 2024, though services have now resumed in the country. In addition to that, one of Chipper Cash products in the U.K., GBP Bank account for African in the Diaspora has been completed shutdown. According to the company, it shut it down to focus on more emerging markets like Nigeria.
In a move that signals a potential path to recovery, the company has been making some strategic moves, including a partnership with Ripple aimed at making cross-border payments to Africa faster and more affordable. This collaboration, along with other recent efforts, shows its push to regain momentum and strengthen its position in key markets.
However, it's important to note that Chipper Cash’s shift toward a business-unified model—such as integrating Chipper Ad Payments—mirrors a broader trend among African tech companies. For example, food delivery platform Chowdeck has also started providing advertising solutions to the restaurants on its platform.
This growing shift toward diversification reflects the mounting pressure on African startups to explore additional revenue sources and develop stronger, more adaptable business models that go beyond their original services.
