Ozow partners with RelyComply to strengthen trust and security in South Africa’s digital payments

The collaboration integrates AI-driven identity verification into Ozow’s payment network, helping prevent fraud and build safer digital commerce across the country.

Bradley Elliott, CEO of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) platform RelyComply

South Africa’s digital payment market continues to evolve rapidly, with account-to-account, mobile, and voucher-based transactions now part of daily life. But as payment volumes rise, so do risks such as identity fraud, mule accounts, and fake business registrations.

To tackle these growing challenges, fintech leader Ozow has teamed up with RelyComply, a RegTech firm specializing in artificial intelligence–powered compliance and verification solutions. The partnership embeds RelyComply’s advanced screening tools directly into Ozow’s merchant onboarding system, allowing the company to identify high-risk users early and maintain a cleaner, more secure payment ecosystem.

“Onboarding is where trust begins,” explained Bradley Elliott, CEO of RelyComply. “As payment systems scale, that trust needs to scale with them. Partnering with Ozow shows our shared belief that smarter compliance drives sustainable, secure growth.”

For Ozow, the move supports its broader vision to make digital transactions simple, safe, and inclusive for every South African. Strengthening verification processes improves trust across the value chain—giving merchants and consumers more confidence with each transaction.

“Ozow is committed to building a trustworthy and secure digital payments ecosystem,” said Rachel Cowan, Ozow’s Interim CEO. “By partnering with RelyComply, we’re enhancing the reliability of our onboarding process and helping businesses and customers transact with greater peace of mind.”

The collaboration marks another step in Ozow’s mission to expand financial inclusion through technology—ensuring that as South Africa’s digital economy grows, it does so on a foundation of integrity and safety.