Volta has expanded its presence in North America. Volta Square Inc., our Canadian entity, is now registered with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) as a Money Services Business.

This registration is a milestone in a journey that started with a simple idea: businesses in Africa deserve to pay their suppliers around the world with the same clarity, speed and confidence as businesses anywhere else.

A new step in our North American journey

Volta was built to solve a concrete problem. Every day, importers, distributors and manufacturers across Africa need to pay for goods, equipment, freight, services and raw materials abroad. Too often, they face unclear exchange rates, hidden deductions, long delays and little visibility on where their money is.

To solve this at scale, the foundations matter as much as the product. In the United States, Volta Square LLC is registered with FinCEN as a Money Services Business. With Volta Square Inc. now registered with FINTRAC in Canada, we are extending those foundations across North America.

What FINTRAC registration means

FINTRAC is Canada’s financial intelligence unit. Businesses that provide money services in Canada, such as foreign exchange dealing or money transfers, are required to register with it.

Registration means that a business has met the legal requirement to register. It comes with ongoing obligations: keeping registration information up to date, reporting any change in our business or activities within 30 days, and renewing the registration every two years. Our registration details will appear on FINTRAC’s public MSB Registry, which is updated monthly.

It is equally important to be clear about what registration is not. Registration with FINTRAC does not mean that FINTRAC endorses or licenses a business. It is a legal requirement, and we treat it as the starting point of our responsibilities, not as a badge.

Our North American structure

  • Volta Square LLC (United States): registered with FinCEN as a Money Services Business.
  • Volta Square Inc. (Canada): registered with FINTRAC as a Money Services Business.

In Africa, we work with licensed local payment partners.

Why this matters for our clients

Our clients trust us with payments that keep their business running: a container of goods waiting at port, a machine ready to ship, a supplier who will not release an order until funds arrive. That trust has to be earned before the first payment, not after.

Building the right registrations and compliance framework in each market is how we earn it. It also strengthens our relationships with the banks and payment partners we work with, who expect their partners to meet high standards.

For businesses using Volta, nothing changes in the way they pay:

  • One clear quote: you see the rate and the exact amount your supplier receives before you pay.
  • A locked rate: accept your quote and your rate no longer moves.
  • Step-by-step tracking: quote accepted, documents verified, funds sent, beneficiary credited.
  • Settlement typically within 48 hours, with a receipt at every step.
  • Compliance that helps: our team checks your documents with you before you pay.

How we approach compliance

At Volta, compliance is part of every payment, not a separate department. We serve registered businesses only. We verify every client before onboarding, check the documents behind each payment, such as invoices and pro formas, and keep a clear record of every transaction.

As we grow, our obligations grow with us. We keep our registrations up to date in every jurisdiction where we operate, and we review our framework as our activities and markets evolve.

What our team says

“Our clients move money across borders to pay suppliers, buy equipment and grow their business. Building the right registrations and compliance framework in each market is how we earn their trust, and how we scale with them.”

— Joel Lamar , Director, Volta

“Compliance is not a box we tick once. It is a daily discipline: knowing our clients, checking every payment and keeping our obligations up to date in every jurisdiction where we operate.”

— Hassan Chacha, Compliance Manager, Volta

What’s next

We will continue to strengthen our compliance framework, expand our network of banking and payment partners, and make cross-border payments from Africa simpler and more transparent. As we explore new services and markets, we will meet the requirements that apply in each of them before we launch.

About Volta

Volta helps businesses in Africa pay their suppliers and move money across borders, the transparent way. We convert XAF, XOF and other African currencies into USD, EUR, GBP and other major currencies, and send the funds to beneficiaries abroad. Importers, distributors and manufacturers use Volta to pay for goods, equipment, freight, services and raw materials, and to move funds between their own entities.

Learn more and get a quote at pay.voltasquare.com.

Volta is a trading name of Volta Square LLC (United States) and Volta Square Inc. (Canada). Volta Square LLC is registered with FinCEN as a Money Services Business. Volta Square Inc. is registered with FINTRAC as a Money Services Business. Registration with FINTRAC or FinCEN does not mean that either agency endorses or licenses the business. In Africa, Volta works with licensed local payment partners. Volta serves registered businesses only.