Kenyan fintech Cloud9 has secured $500,000 from investor and accelerator Alliance, bringing its total disclosed funding to $1 million. The investment, reported this week, will support the company’s expansion into international payments for African businesses and consumers.
New capital for international payments
The investment forms part of an ongoing pre-seed funding round that has also attracted backing from Techstars and angel investors. Cloud9 plans to expand the international payment routes it supports, improve its platform and increase customer adoption.
Founded in late 2025 by Tesh Mbaabu and Mesongo Sibuti, the company combines digital accounts, payments and business tools. Both founders previously established MarketForce, a technology business serving African merchants.
Cloud9 began operating in early 2026 and says it has opened more than 25,000 accounts. That figure represents accounts created rather than a disclosed measure of regularly active customers.
Connecting local businesses with overseas suppliers
The company targets businesses and freelancers that need to receive overseas earnings, hold different currencies or pay international suppliers. Its platform advertises accounts supporting Kenyan shillings, US dollars, euros, pounds and Chinese yuan, alongside other regional currencies.
Cloud9 says customers can access international transfers through bank payments, mobile money connections and stablecoin services. Business features include payroll, bulk payments and approval controls, bringing several financial tasks into a single interface.
Chief executive Mbaabu has identified payments between African merchants and overseas suppliers as a central focus. The company’s stated objective is to make these transactions easier to manage from a mobile account.
Banking through a licensed partner
Although frequently described as a neobank, Cloud9 identifies itself as a financial technology company rather than a licensed bank. Its website states that banking services are provided by Choice Microfinance Bank, which is regulated by the Central Bank of Kenya.
The distinction clarifies how the service operates: Cloud9 supplies the customer-facing platform, while a regulated partner provides the underlying banking services.
Expansion through existing business networks
Cloud9 has also pursued acquisitions, purchasing ticketing platform MTickets earlier this year and social commerce company Chpter in August through share-based transactions.
Those businesses give it access to merchants and customers already conducting digital transactions. The new investment will support its effort to connect that activity with payments and financial services, while its initial account growth remains at an early stage.
Newshub Editorial in Africa – 9 October 2026
Kenyan fintech Cloud9 has secured $500,000 from investor and accelerator Alliance, bringing its total disclosed funding to $1 million. The investment, reported this week, will support the company’s expansion into international payments for African businesses and consumers.
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