inDrive brings card payments to South Africa through dLocal integration, expanding beyond its cash-first model

Ride-hailing platform adds cashless option in a market where digital payments already account for the majority of e-commerce transactions.

inDrive, a ride-hailing platform that distinguishes itself by allowing passengers and drivers to negotiate fares directly within the app, has launched card payments in South Africa. The move marks a shift in the company's payment infrastructure for the market, where it previously operated on a cash-first basis.

The decision was informed by internal research pointing to specific scenarios where card payments address a practical gap: areas with limited cash access, rides booked on behalf of others, and international visitors without local currency. To process card transactions locally, inDrive integrated with dLocal, a cross-border payment platform that specialises in emerging markets infrastructure. The integration enables local card collection for passengers, automated splitting of driver earnings and platform fees, and fast payouts to drivers through local payment rails, all handled through a single connection.

The launch comes against a backdrop of growing digital payment adoption in South Africa. According to the dLocal Emerging Markets Payments Handbook, cards already account for 63% of e-commerce transactions in the country, a figure that signals consumer familiarity with cashless options even as cash remains a significant part of daily transactions.

Ashif Black, inDrive's Country Representative in South Africa, framed the launch as an expansion of choice rather than a move away from existing habits: "South Africa is one of the clearest markets where adding card payments makes sense. We're not moving away from cash — we're expanding choice. Our goal is to give people the flexibility to pay in the way that works best for them in different situations."

The company says it applies the same market-by-market logic across its other geographies, supporting local payment methods where they are relevant, including PayShap in South Africa, rather than applying a single global payment model. For inDrive, the South Africa rollout also serves as a proof point for its ability to layer card payment infrastructure onto its negotiated fare model without altering how the core marketplace operates.