Pay. Get paid. Move money.
One connected PayKarata experience for everyday payments, a digital wallet, a prepaid Visa companion card and simple merchant acceptance.
Services are not yet commercially available. Controlled pilot and commercial launch are planned for Q4 2026.
The PayKarata ecosystem
Three products, one connected experience
Built for everyday money in Botswana: hold funds, spend online with a virtual card, and let small businesses accept contactless payments.
Wallet
A digital wallet to hold funds in Pula, pay, and see your activity in one place.
Coming soon
Virtual prepaid card
A virtual Visa companion card linked to your wallet for card-enabled and online spending.
Coming soon
SoftPOS
Tap-to-Phone acceptance that turns a compatible Android phone into a checkout.
Coming soon
For people
Everyday money, made simpler
PayKarata is designed for real life in Botswana — for people who want a clear view of their money and a safer alternative to carrying cash.
Store and manage funds
Keep money in your wallet and top up when you need to.
Pay and transact
Planned wallet payments and transfers within the PayKarata network.
See your activity
A clear transaction history so you always know what happened.
Card controls
Planned controls to freeze or manage your virtual card in the app.
For merchants
Turn your Android phone into a payment acceptance device
No conventional POS terminal needed. With SoftPOS, a compatible NFC-enabled Android phone can accept contactless card and device payments.
Contactless acceptance
Customers tap a contactless card or phone directly on your device.
No extra hardware
Designed to remove the cost and logistics of a traditional card machine.
Simple onboarding
A guided merchant sign-up with business verification before activation.
Settlement visibility
A planned merchant view of transactions and settlement activity.
Requires a compatible NFC-enabled Android device. Final device compatibility is subject to rollout and certification.
How it works
A straightforward planned journey
Here is how we expect getting started to work at launch, for both people and businesses.
Planned launch journey
- 1
Join the waitlist
Tell us who you are and how you plan to use PayKarata.
- 2
Get the app
We invite you when early access opens in Botswana.
- 3
Verify your identity
Complete digital identity verification (eKYC) in the app.
- 4
Start using PayKarata
Activate your wallet, request a virtual card and transact.
Trust
Built to be a regulated, well-governed payments business
PayKarata was granted an Electronic Payment Service Provider licence in December 2025. Post-licence compliance work continues ahead of pilot and commercial launch.
Identity verification
Customer and merchant eKYC and screening are part of the onboarding design.
Transaction monitoring
Fraud and transaction monitoring controls are planned across the platform.
Encryption and access control
Encryption, strong authentication and role-based access are part of the target control framework.
Safeguarded customer funds
Customer funds are intended to be held in a dedicated trust account, segregated from company operating funds.
Partner ecosystem
Programme partners cover card and wallet processing, SoftPOS, eKYC and banking.
Reporting and oversight
Reconciliation, regulatory and operational reporting are designed into the platform.
Security and compliance statements describe the target control framework and are subject to production validation, partner evidence and applicable regulatory requirements.
Botswana first
Designed for how Botswana actually pays
From a stall in a busy CBD to a combi rank, a salon or a weekend pop-up, small businesses lose sales when they can only take cash. PayKarata is being built for that reality.
- Small retailers and spaza-style shops
- Taxis and combi operators
- Restaurants and takeaways
- Freelancers and service providers
Partner with PayKarata
We are exploring future partnerships with employers, schools and universities, associations, churches and community groups, NGOs and corporates who want to reach their people with digital payments.
FAQ
Questions people ask us
Be first to use PayKarata
Join the waitlist and we will let you know when early access opens in Botswana.