Canva launches Capitec Pay subscriptions in South Africa

Canva has become the first international company to offer subscriptions via Capitec Pay in South Africa. This new payment method, facilitated through a partnership with EBANX, allows customers to authorize recurring payments directly through the Capitec banking app rather than relying on credit cards.

The move addresses a significant structural barrier in the South African market, where credit card penetration among adults is estimated to be between 8% and 10%. This has historically excluded approximately 44 million people from traditional card-on-file subscription models used by most global businesses.

By utilizing Capitec Pay, an account-to-account payment method, users can approve a recurring payment once within the mobile app. Following this initial authorization, participating businesses can automatically collect future subscription fees. This shift aims to align global subscription services with local consumer behavior and banking infrastructure.