Rising savings, stronger electronic payments and growing cross-border transactions are pointing to increased economic activity across Africa, with deposits at Standard Bank rising 12 percent to R2.5 trillion ($156.3 billion) in the first half of 2026.
The figures, drawn from the bank’s operations across 21 African countries and 19.5 million active clients, also showed that the value of domestic electronic payments increased 11 percent, while cross-border payment values rose seven percent.
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Lungisa Fuzile, Standard Bank’s Chief Executive for Africa Regions, said the figures showed that more households and businesses were becoming active participants in the formal economy.
“What we are seeing across many markets is clear evidence of economic momentum. As more people participate in the formal financial system, as businesses trade across borders and as savings pools deepen, the foundations for sustainable growth become stronger,” Fuzile said.
