EcoCash has launched a Diaspora Wallet that allows Zimbabweans living abroad to pay directly for goods and services in Zimbabwe, a move aimed at giving the diaspora greater control over how financial support reaches families and businesses back home.
The service was launched at Zimfest Live in Northampton, the United Kingdom’s largest Zimbabwean cultural festival, as EcoCash positions itself to tap into Zimbabwe’s growing diaspora remittance market.
“The Diaspora Wallet is designed to simplify cross-border payments while giving customers greater visibility and assurance that their money is being used for its intended purpose,” Ecocash said.
Through the EcoCash Super App, users can pay school fees, utility bills, purchase ZESA electricity tokens, airtime and mobile data, settle DStv subscriptions, pay merchants and meet other household expenses from anywhere in the world.
“For many people in the diaspora, sending money has traditionally meant handing over control once the transfer is complete,” EcoCash said.
“However, the Diaspora Wallet changes that experience by allowing customers to pay directly for goods and services from wherever they are in the world. Instead of simply sending cash, they can now settle school fees, pay utility bills, purchase groceries, buy airtime or data, pay merchants and support their families with confidence, knowing exactly how their money is being used.”
Customers can register using an international mobile number without requiring a Zimbabwean SIM card, a local bank account or physical presence in Zimbabwe.
Ecocash explained that the wallet can be funded using Visa and Mastercard, while customers in the United Kingdom and South Africa can also use Sasai Money Transfer during the initial rollout.
The launch comes as diaspora remittances remain a critical source of foreign currency for Zimbabwe, with inflows exceeding US$2 billion annually in recent years, according to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, underscoring the growing importance of digital platforms that simplify cross-border payments.
