Wafr

WafR is a Casablanca-based retail fintech operating a mobile application for small neighbourhood retailers (grocers and corner shops) in Morocco. Through the app, merchants obtain discounts on prepaid mobile top-ups from the country's three operators — Maroc Telecom (7% off all top-ups), Orange (6.5%) and Inwi (6.5%) — and can accept funds from customers, who send money directly into the merchant's balance by scanning a code generated in the merchant's app. Merchants fund an in-app account that they then use in commercial transactions with their own customers.

Beyond top-ups, the platform is described as enabling small stores to offer remittances and cash-in/cash-out services, positioning corner stores as fintech access points. A separate brand line, WafR PRO, is operated by Mobile Payment System, based at 56 Bd Mly Youssef, 3rd floor, Apt 14, Casablanca. The WafR PRO app includes KYC document capture, QR/barcode scanning, a contact-based transfer feature and a loyalty programme, with fraud-prevention checks based on device identifiers and installed-app signals.

The merchant app is distributed on Google Play, with an Apple App Store version indicated as forthcoming. Onboarding is form-based: prospective merchants submit a registration form, after which the company contacts them and opens a merchant account; a customer-support team communicates with merchants in Moroccan Arabic.

Founding story

WafR was founded in 2021 by Ismail Bargach, who serves as CEO and co-founder, and Reda Sellak.

Business model

WafR provides an app-based service to small independent retailers, giving them discounted wholesale pricing on operator airtime top-ups that they resell, alongside payment acceptance and money-transfer functions where customers push funds into the merchant's in-app account. The company also describes a platform through which retail brands broadcast and deliver targeted promotions to grocers in order to grow share in Morocco's traditional retail channel.

Sources indicate margin on discounted mobile top-ups distributed to merchants (7% on Maroc Telecom, 6.5% on Orange and Inwi) and transaction-based services such as remittances and cash-in/cash-out; stated future products include micro-insurance and credit scoring.

Traction

Reported metrics include nearly 20,000 active merchants and 29% month-on-month transaction growth at the time of the seed announcement, with an oversubscribed $4 million round and a stated expansion target of 100,000 retailers.

Latest developments

In February 2026 WafR announced an oversubscribed $4 million seed round co-led by LoftyInc Capital, Attijariwafa Ventures and Al Mada Ventures, with participation from returning investors UM6P Ventures and First Circle Capital. Proceeds are earmarked for expanding the retailer network toward 100,000 stores and for product diversification into micro-insurance and credit scoring.