Azza
Azza (legal entity USEAZZA LTD) is a Lagos-based fintech that embeds a crypto wallet and fiat on/off-ramp inside WhatsApp. Users buy, sell, swap and send stablecoins and other assets by chatting with an AI agent—no separate banking app required.1 It was founded in 2024 by Toochukwu Okoro and Joshua (Akachi) Avoaja and opened more broadly in 2025.
History
The founders argued that the next wave of African fintech users would not install new apps. WhatsApp is already the default communication layer, so Azza put KYC, balances and cash-out into chat. Coverage in 2026 highlighted USDT-to-USD conversions into Nigerian domiciliary accounts and a push to replace risky P2P OTC with an in-chat flow.2
Founders
Toochukwu Okoro is co-founder and chief executive officer, active in Nigerian fintech and crypto policy circles.
Joshua Avoaja is co-founder and chief technology officer.
Model
Azza is a messaging-native wallet, not a licensed deposit bank. It routes stablecoins (including Circle’s USDC and naira-linked cNGN) across multiple chains and pays out to local bank accounts and mobile money. Circle lists Azza in its alliance directory as a WhatsApp wallet for Africa.
Products
In-WhatsApp buy/sell of crypto and stablecoins, phone-number sends (no wallet address required), multi-chain swaps and bridges, and instant cash-out to local currency. The product is often cited as proof that “living inside WhatsApp” can be a distribution strategy, not a gimmick.
External links
References
- Azza lets users buy, sell and cash out crypto through WhatsApp. https://www.useazza.com/
- TechCabal profiled Azza’s WhatsApp-native infrastructure thesis (April 2026). https://techcabal.com/2026/04/13/azza/
Frequently asked questions
- What is Azza?
- Azza is a WhatsApp-native crypto wallet and on/off-ramp that lets Africans buy, sell and send stablecoins inside chat.
- When was Azza founded?
- Azza was founded in 2024.
- Where is Azza headquartered?
- Azza is headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria.
- Who founded Azza?
- Azza was founded by Toochukwu Okoro, Joshua Avoaja.
- What type of company is Azza?
- Azza is described as Messaging-native on/off-ramp in its neobank.wiki profile.
- What is the official Azza website?
- The official website for Azza is https://www.useazza.com/.
See also
- Accrue — Accrue is a Ghana- and Nigeria-rooted fintech that moves money across Africa and the US using a stablecoin agent network.
- Airwallex — Airwallex is an Australian-founded business fintech for global accounts, payments and spend management.
- Alex Johnson — Alex Johnson is the founder of Fintech Takes, a widely read fintech newsletter and podcast; he is active on X as @AlexH_Johnson.
- Alexandre Prot — Alexandre Prot is co-founder and CEO of Qonto, the Paris-based European business neobank.
- Ali Niknam — Ali Niknam is founder and CEO of Bunq, the Amsterdam-based licensed Dutch neobank.