Convergence Partners of South Africa has revealed that it has acquired a strategic stake in 42Markets Group, an incubator, investor, and developer of high-growth specialized businesses in the financial and capital markets industry.
With 20 years of experience making profitable investments in the region’s digital infrastructure, Convergence Partners is a top private equity investment manager with a specialty in the technology sector in sub-Saharan Africa.
The company is in charge of managing more than US $600 million, including the recently established Convergence Partners Digital Infrastructure Fund, which is aimed at long-term investments in data centers, fiber networks, wireless and towers, edge, artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), cloud, and fintech platforms across the continent. The team at Convergence Partners has offices in South Africa, Nigeria, Mauritius, Paris, and soon, Kenya.
The 42Markets Group, which focuses on digital transformation and increased effectiveness of the capital markets in Africa, is the recipient of its most recent investment. The company is in a good position to assist second-tier capital markets in enhancing their capacity to lower costs and friction, increase transparency and real-time risk management across a wide range of financial products, and ultimately broaden the reach of banking and financial services to a wider cross-section of the populace.
By expanding its product offering and expanding geographically, 42Markets Group will be able to accelerate growth thanks to the addition of Convergence Partners as new investors.
“Convergence Partners has been instrumental in Africa digitally leapfrogging the world through key investments in fiber and data infrastructure. Together, we will now do the same for financial markets, in connecting central banks and other big asset generators to corporate and retail investors, safely and accurately, across the full spectrum of capital markets solutions. In a very real sense, 42Markets companies are the “over-the-top” capital enablers, on the infrastructure that Convergence Partners has established. We are excited about working with them to bring real and sustainable change to markets,” said Andries Brink, group chief executive officer of 42Markets Group.
“We are thrilled with our investment in 42Markets Group, which reflects our unwavering dedication to fostering digital infrastructure expansion throughout Africa. 42Markets’ expertise in decentralized finance (DeFi), regtech, and fintech, particularly in expanding global financial and capital markets to underserved regions aligns perfectly with our vision of utilising technology to bridge the digital divide and improve access for those in need. As blockchain adoption on the continent continues to grow, we look forward to embarking on this journey with 42Markets to democratise financial markets and enhance accessibility,” said Andile Ngcaba, chairman of Convergence Partners.
