Africa’s first bitcoin exchange targets 1 billion users

Friday, February 16, 2018

Bitcoin may be having a rough ride in 2018 but one cryptocurrency company is still optimistic about its long term prospects.

Luno, founded in South Africa in 2013, has plans to become one of the leading cryptocurrency traders in the world.

CEO and founder Marcus Swanepoel has a goal that would leave many bigger companies in the shade: 1 billion customers by 2025.

“There are very few industries in the world for which you could say that is a reachable goal, but because bitcoin is so open and global, it is really an achievable goal. We’re excited to pursue it,” he said.

The company is planning to grow its team of 70 employees to 300 over the next six months.

Swanepoel, a former investment banker, say Luno was the first company in Africa to offer cryptocurrency trading.

It has enjoyed runaway growth since then, and now has 1.5 million customers in 40 countries, mostly emerging markets.

The company, backed by some big investors including Naspers, was created by a small group of people with backgrounds in tech and finance who, like Swanepoel wanted to give up their corporate jobs.

Photo courtesy of fsecart.

 

Source: GANT Daily (link opens in a new window)

Categories
Finance, Technology
Tags
cryptocurrency, fintech