Paysera expands to Kosovo: why is it important to tackle emerging markets?
September 2020 • 4 min read
Earlier this summer we announced some exciting news – Paysera Kosova secured the very first Electronic Money Institution (EMI) licence in Kosovo. It comes almost 10 years after the same thing happened in Lithuania, putting Lithuania on the world fintech map and boosting its e-commerce through easy and cheap online money collection. Since then the electronic payment network Paysera also settled in Estonia, Latvia, Bulgaria, and Romania, hoping to repeat its success story in these emerging markets.
Small markets – real change
Although many businesses, especially those in the startup ranks, dream to enter big markets such as Germany, China, the US, or the UK, smaller emerging markets are places where real changes are truly needed and anticipated.
Kosovan residents and businesses currently pay EUR 25 for a money transfer to EU countries, even though the de facto currency in the country is also Euro. This situation will change once Paysera starts actively operating in the country. Individuals will be able to send money domestically and to EU countries through the Paysera online banking and app for free, and the fee for businesses will not exceed EUR 1.
Dream of tapping into the young generation
Creating products for the younger generation, serving the youth, getting the youth’s attention… All this already sounds like a pipe dream in some countries. The youth in the West today is spoiled by choice and often makes decisions, including financial ones, based on personal preference, company values, popularity among friends, and attractive branding. Low international transfer prices and good currency exchange rates are no longer a trump card in economies where many financial services are already free or cost close to nothing.
Yet some countries with all their economic potential and young generation are not so spoiled by choice, if not to say outright underserved. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, Kosovo was the fastest growing economy in the Western Balkans. It also has the youngest population in Europe, with half of its roughly 2-million-strong population being under the age of 25. This makes Kosovo a small yet attractive market for tech companies such as Paysera.
Along with talk of the upcoming Kosovo tech revolution, more and more people aim for professions such as software development and IT specialisation, which will soon make Kosovo an attractive country not only due to its potential clients but also due to its potential workers. Not to mention that the country ranks 44th out of 190 economies on the “Ease of Doing Business Index” thanks to its business-friendly regulatory environment, especially in the technology sector.
All in all, it is about time to wake up from the utopian dream of conquering already overwhelmed markets and to realise that it is better to start looking into the areas where real change can actually be made. Kosovo is just one of many such examples and Paysera is happy to become a part of the country’s tech boom. The electronic payment network expands to foreign markets by finding reliable and experienced partners who are willing and capable to bring Paysera’s services to their countries - so the company is willing to go further into the Balkans if such opportunities arise.
