The round was led by global investment firm Partech, with additional backing from TLCOM, Flourish Ventures, and Proparco.

The funding signals growing investor confidence in infrastructure-focused fintech solutions that work closely with traditional banks rather than competing against them.

Littlefish operates at the intersection of banking systems and commerce technology.

Its platform brings together multiple tools used by businesses, such as point-of-sale systems, customer management software, payment processing, and APIs, into a single integrated layer.

This system connects directly with banks’ core infrastructure, allowing financial institutions to deliver more advanced merchant services without losing control of their customer relationships.

The company’s model is designed to address a persistent gap in Africa’s financial ecosystem.

Millions of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which form the backbone of the continent’s economy, remain underserved despite their growing role in trade and employment.

By enabling banks to offer more modern, fintech-like solutions, Littlefish aims to improve how these businesses access and use financial services.

“This raise is a validation of our belief that the best way to serve Africa’s small businesses is to work with the institutions they already trust, not around them,” said Brandon Roberts, co-founder and CEO of Littlefish.

“We’ve proven the model in South Africa, and this capital gives us the runway to deepen those relationships and bring what we’ve built to millions more merchants across the continent. The little guys deserve world-class financial infrastructure, too, and we’re building it.”

The startup has already established partnerships with major banks in South Africa and is positioning itself for expansion into multiple markets across the continent.

The new funding will support product development, market entry, and scaling efforts as the company looks to extend its reach beyond its home base.

Investors backing the round say the company is building critical infrastructure for Africa’s financial future.

“Littlefish has done something rare: it has built indispensable infrastructure and convinced Africa’s most powerful financial institutions to stake their merchant businesses on it,” said Matthieu Marchand, principal at Partech.

“With the deep trust Littlefish has already established in South Africa and a clear path to expansion across more than 10 markets, we believe the company is positioned to become the defining merchant infrastructure layer for the continent.”