📨 Yahoo Mail Slashes Free Storage to 20GB, Introduces Paid Plans

Today’s Menu ☕️

📨 Yahoo Mail Slashes Free Storage to 20GB, Introduces Paid Plans Amid User Backlash
🪙 Collect Africa to shut down by August 31, pivots to stablecoin venture Autospend
🪙 PayPal Launches “Pay with Crypto” to Revolutionize Global Commerce
💰 Candi Solar secures $24M in additional funding to expand clean energy solutions in emerging markets
📲 Orange Money teams up with JUMO to deliver mobile-based credit services in Africa
🏦 Revolut sets sights on Morocco with strategic expansion and new leadership

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📨 WEB SERVICES

Yahoo Mail Slashes Free Storage to 20GB, Introduces Paid Plans Amid User Backlash

Yahoo Mail has drastically reduced its free email storage limit to 20GB and introduced new paid plans, marking a major shift aimed at monetizing its vast user base. Effective immediately, users exceeding 20GB will lose the ability to send or receive emails unless they delete old messages or upgrade to a subscription.

Yahoo’s new plans include 100GB for $1.99/month and 1TB for $9.99/month, while Yahoo Mail Plus offers 200GB, an ad-free experience, and extra features. The 100GB and 1TB tiers will still display ads, which may frustrate paying users expecting a cleaner interface.

To ease the transition, Yahoo is rolling out inbox management tools like real-time storage tracking, usage dashboards, and attachment managers to help users free up space.

The abrupt downgrade has sparked mixed reactions, with many long-time users now considering paid plans, email deletion, or migrating to competitors like Gmail. This move reflects Yahoo’s strategy to convert free users into paying subscribers in a competitive email market....…..continue reading

🪙 CRYPTOCURRENCY

Collect Africa to shut down by August 31, pivots to stablecoin venture Autospend

Collect Africa, a Nigerian fintech startup founded in 2021 by Abraham Ojes and Wale Martins, will cease operations on August 31, 2025, as it pivots to a new venture, Autospend. The company, built to simplify payments for small businesses, enabled merchants to accept bank transfers, POS payments, QR codes, payment links, and direct debits through a single dashboard. Over four years, Collect Africa processed more than 50,000 transactions worth $4 million for 5,000 businesses, generating around $5,000 in monthly revenue and achieving 25% annual growth.

Backed by investors including Ajim Capital and accelerators like ODX and GreenHouse Lab, the startup raised $135,000 in funding. However, co-founder Ojes said the shift to Autospend reflects a broader ambition: facilitating global, instant, and affordable money movement through stablecoins. Launched in early 2025, Autospend offers services for payments, savings, and expense management.

Collect Africa’s closure highlights a growing trend in African fintech, where startups are moving beyond local payment tools to create infrastructure for cross-border and stablecoin-powered financial services.........…continue reading

🪙 CRYPTOCURRENCY

PayPal Launches “Pay with Crypto” to Revolutionize Global Commerce

PayPal has launched “Pay with Crypto,” a feature enabling U.S. merchants to accept over 100 cryptocurrencies at checkout, with global expansion planned. The service integrates with major digital wallets like Coinbase, MetaMask, and Kraken, supporting Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, USD Coin, XRP, Solana, and BNB. When a customer pays in crypto, PayPal instantly converts it into PYUSD stablecoin or fiat, allowing merchants to receive funds in their preferred currency without exchange delays.

The feature tackles high fees and slow cross-border settlements, reducing transaction costs by up to 90% versus traditional international card processing, with a promotional 0.99% fee for the first year. It also opens new markets to businesses, leveraging a global base of over 650 million crypto users.

By merging crypto, stablecoins, and instant settlement, PayPal is bridging traditional finance and digital commerce. The initiative boosts merchant efficiency, supports global expansion, and accelerates mainstream crypto adoption, positioning PayPal as a frontrunner in borderless, frictionless digital payments.....…continue reading

💰 FUNDING

Candi Solar secures $24M in additional funding to expand clean energy solutions in emerging markets

Candi Solar, a clean energy solutions provider for businesses in emerging markets, has raised $24 million in new funding to accelerate its growth. The round includes a $20 million convertible loan from Norfund and STOA, alongside a $4 million increase to its mezzanine debt facility with the Energy Entrepreneurs Growth Fund (EEGF), managed by Triple Jump. This brings the company’s total capital raised to over $140 million.

Candi Solar delivers distributed solar solutions for commercial and industrial (C&I) clients in India and South Africa, helping businesses access reliable, cost-effective, and low-carbon energy. Over the past year, the company added 60 MW to its portfolio, including a 16.5 MW open-access solar project in Gujarat, bringing total contracted capacity to 132 MW across 22 Indian states and eight South African provinces.

Investors praised Candi’s rapid growth and its role in enabling businesses to reduce emissions and dependence on unreliable grids, positioning the company as a key player in the energy transition across emerging markets....…continue reading

📲 MOBILE MONEY

Orange Money teams up with JUMO to deliver mobile-based credit services in Africa

Orange Money has partnered with South African fintech JUMO to launch mobile-based credit services for unbanked and underbanked individuals across Africa. The service allows Orange Money users to apply for microloans via the mobile app or USSD, with JUMO’s AI-driven platform analyzing mobile transaction data—such as airtime purchases and transfers—to assess creditworthiness without traditional credit scores or collateral. Approved loans are instantly disbursed into users’ wallets, and repayments are automatically deducted, offering a seamless experience.

The initiative will launch first in Burkina Faso, followed by Mali and Botswana, with wider expansion planned. Orange, which serves 110 million subscribers in 17 African countries and processed €160 billion in mobile money transactions in 2024, aims to drive financial inclusion. JUMO has already facilitated $8 billion in loans for 31 million users and maintains lending risk below 4%.

By combining telecom reach and AI-powered credit scoring, the partnership reflects a growing trend of mobile operators delivering accessible financial services to underserved populations........…continue reading

🏦 NEOBANKING

Revolut sets sights on Morocco with strategic expansion and new leadership

Revolut, the UK-based fintech giant, is entering Morocco as part of its North African expansion strategy. To lead the initiative, the company appointed Amine Berrada, former Uber Morocco General Manager, as its first senior executive in the region. Revolut will initially offer digital payments, foreign exchange, and remittance services, with plans to secure a digital banking license within two years for a full suite of services.

The company is building a local team of around 60 employees to oversee operations, compliance, and customer acquisition. To meet Morocco’s strict regulations, Revolut is expected to either apply for an Electronic Payment Institution (EPI) license or partner with a local bank, implementing robust KYC, AML, and data protection frameworks.

This expansion aligns with Revolut’s broader European growth, including €1 billion investment in France and 400 planned jobs by 2029. Success in Morocco will depend on regulatory approvals and adoption of its initial payment services, with future offerings potentially including loans, mortgages, and telecom products.......…continue reading

 OTHER STORIES

• Applications Open for $2M Milken-Motsepe Prize in AI for Manufacturing...…continue reading

• Cameroonian logistics startup Swyft secures pre-seed funding from University of Michigan’s IIF…..continue reading

• How Nigeria’s Flux Emerged from a Broken Global Payment System…….continue reading

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