Cryptocurrency Company Ripple Buys Into African Payments Business

Ripple, a cryptocurrency firm, has bought a stake in Flutterwave, an African company that moves money between businesses and countries. The $3.3 billion deal shows a broader trend: blockchain companies are no longer just building the underlying technology — they are now owning the actual financial services that use it. The strategy ties their interests together but raises questions about whether it spreads them too thin.