In a sector where transactions often remain manual, it offers a digital alternative. Its solution simplifies the exchange of money for actors in the informal economy.
Kosta Scholiadis (pictured) is a South African entrepreneur active in the financial technology sector. He is the founder and CEO of Street Wallet, a start-up that designs payment solutions for the informal economy.
Founded in 2021, Street Wallet offers a payments and collections management platform designed to simplify everyday transactions. It allows users to accept payments, make deposits and receive their money without technical complexity. The objective is to offer a clear and effective tool to improve cash management and support the activity of small traders.
The solution is mainly aimed at street sellers, parking attendants, local businesses and multi-site structures wishing to accelerate their collections and better build customer loyalty. Payments are made by QR code, usable by both the customer and the merchant. Street Wallet guarantees the availability of funds the next day, thus strengthening the financial stability of users.
In August 2025, the startup raised $350,000 to expand its presence from Cape Town and Durban to Johannesburg by the end of the year. A month later, it acquired Digitip, a platform specializing in digital tipping for informal workers.
Before Street Wallet, Kosta Scholiadis launched Sportnet, a pan-African database dedicated to football and the detection of young talents. In 2016, he founded Total Football Academy in South Africa, a training center for young footballers.
A graduate of the University of Cape Town, he obtained a bachelor’s degree in financial modeling and asset valuation in 2022. Between 2019 and 2020, he worked as a data analyst at eGaming SA and was the head coach of football club Goal50 United FC, playing in the South African third division. From November 2021 to July 2025, he served as Product Manager at AirPortr, a London-based technology platform specializing in baggage management for airlines.
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