No Cash? No Problem! Street Wallet bridges the gap for street vendors and car guards – Kostas Scholiadis

Tipping car guards or paying street vendors in South Africa still relies heavily on cash. But many people no longer carry cash, and some vendors don’t have bank accounts to accept electronic payments. Street Wallet offers a practical workaround: traders receive a QR code that links to a web-based payment page. Founder and CEO Kostas Scholiadis told BizNews the company has raised R6.3 million to scale the solution, with plans to expand to Durban and Port Elizabeth. Each trader’s profile on the app includes a “Hire Me” option, offering a pathway to more stable work. One of the biggest challenges, he says, is initial distrust—but once traders and guards start using the system, “they’re very sticky.”