Keyrails is an API-driven banking platform focused on enabling global trade for Sub-Saharan African fintech companies. By offering USD account openings and other API-based modern financial services to fintechs and importers in the region, Keyrails facilitates their participation in global trade.

With a valuation of $10,000,000, the company raised $2,282,500 in its oversubscribed seed round, including a $50,000 investment from Startupfon Fund Coöp.

Service Delivery & Business Model

The Keyrails platform is built entirely on its proprietary API infrastructure.

Keyrails has already overcome market entry barriers in terms of compliance and risk. Its intellectual property in compliance and its proprietary USD & USDC routing mechanism are key differentiators in surpassing high regulatory thresholds.

With the ability to move between USD orders and stablecoins across six blockchains, the platform significantly enhances global money transfer options.

Through a dashboard and/or API, clients can easily onboard and manage their customers, enabling seamless management of KYC, ledgers, stablecoin transactions, and cross-border payments on a single platform.

Currently, the Keyrails API supports USD and RMB payments in China. Product and process development for Africa (bi-directional), MENA, and LATAM corridors are ongoing and expected to be completed by September. Thanks to its adaptable infrastructure for emerging markets, Keyrails enables fintechs to integrate into global trade.

Additionally, Keyrails has developed a proprietary risk assessment system called Fortify360, which allows high-risk fintechs in developing markets to be approved by US banking compliance teams.

The ChinaConnect product has received strong market demand. This product offers a fast and cost-effective payment rail between Sub-Saharan Africa and China. It has three core, hard-to-replicate features:

1. No Pre-funding Required: All Keyrails partners, including ChinaConnect, hold their USD accounts on the platform. Payments between customers and partners are executed in real time without the need for prefunding or counterparty risk—especially crucial in today’s high-interest environment where prefunding costs are steep.
   
   
   

2. Access to Local Treasury in China: Keyrails is one of the few institutions with access to a physical treasury in China, enabling direct supplier payments (STS-type) and multiple daily treasury uploads via domestic USD transfers. This reduces typical 7–8 day payment delays to overnight settlements.
   
   
   

3. Customized SWIFT MT103 Messaging: The ChinaConnect partner is also a non-bank SWIFT member, allowing for compliant customization of MT103 messages in accordance with Chinese regulations. This contributes significantly to faster processing times.
   
   
   

AfricaConnect and ChinaConnect partners link USDC networks used for collections in emerging economies with traditional USD clearing rails for outbound payments. Keyrails’ mechanism removes prefunding and eliminates counterparty risk altogether. All third-party payments are processed within the Keyrails ecosystem in USD through the same bank. The internal payment infrastructure connects to nostro accounts held by major US correspondent banks such as JPMorgan, BNY Mellon, and Citi. USD is cleared, paid out internationally by the foreign bank, and distributed via local RTP or RTGS networks. This complex infrastructure is orchestrated through Keyrails' API and is extremely difficult to replicate.

Keyrails’ business model is distinguished by the following service delivery points:

• Onboarding in days instead of months
  
  
  

• Smart USD & USDC custody via qualified US custodians
  
  
  

• Diversification via multiple banking partners
  
  
  

• Localized transfer optimization for overseas supplier payments
  
  
  

• Integration with local payment networks for low transaction costs
  
  
  

• Flexible payment solutions suitable for businesses of all sizes
  
  
  

• High security standards and regulatory compliance
  
  
  

Keyrails delivers speed, trust, and cost-effective financial transaction experiences. It is an ideal partner for businesses looking to enter the Chinese market, with strong local expertise and technological infrastructure. By enabling faster and lower-cost payments to Chinese suppliers, it helps businesses optimize liquidity management and accelerate supply chain operations.