Machankura

Bitcoin over USSD. No smartphone. No internet. Any phone.

KYC: lightTrust 60/100ZA

Best useFeature phone users in AfricaWallet

KYC posturelight KYCNo identity-document KYC found, but service use is account/phone-number based and the official privacy policy lists phone number, email, account data, transaction/payment data, and support data as collected categories.

Main riskCAUTIONOfficial FAQ says Machankura is fully custodial.

Review proofReviewed 2026-06-22KYC checked 2026-06-22 / inferred jurisdiction / official site batch 3 2026 06 22

Trust

CAUTION · TRENDING

JURISDICTIONZA

WARNINGOfficial FAQ says Machankura is fully custodial. USSD/SMS/phone-number use creates telecom metadata and SIM-registration exposure; suitable for small access payments, not savings or high-privacy custody.

AUDITED BYNone on record

TRUST SCORE

LAST VERIFIED6/24/2026

LAST UPDATED6/22/2026

Specs

KYC LEVELlight

KYC TRIGGERSNo identity-document KYC found, but service use is account/phone-number based and the official privacy policy lists phone number, email, account data, transaction/payment data, and support data as collected categories.

CATEGORIESWallet

BEST FORFeature phone users in Africa, Areas with no mobile data coverage, Bitcoin remittances without smartphone

FEATURESUSSD Bitcoin, Custodial Lightning wallet, Phone-number accounts, No smartphone required, No internet required, Africa-focused, Feature phone compatible

TOR—

REGIONS8 countries — Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, +2 more

About

Fully custodial Bitcoin/Lightning wallet over USSD, SMS, WhatsApp, and web. Works on feature phones without internet; users send/receive sats to phone numbers or Machankura Lightning addresses.

Follow the Money

  Machankura / Kgothatso Ngako — ZA
  ──────────────────────────────────────
  Founder: Kgothatso Ngako (ZA, KG)
  Funding: Bitcoin grants, open-source
  Revenue: none (free USSD service)
  ├─ ZA jurisdiction (RICA SIM logging)
  ├─ Carrier logs call metadata by law
  └─ Not Five Eyes, community-maintained

Machankura — ownership and funding chain

We wrote about this

M-Pesa Is Watched. Machankura Isn't.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Machankura require KYC or identity verification?

Machankura has a KYC level of "light". No identity-document KYC found, but service use is account/phone-number based and the official privacy policy lists phone number, email, account data, transaction/payment data, and support data as collected categories.

What payment methods does Machankura accept?

Please check the provider site for accepted payment methods.

Is Machankura available in my country?

Machankura is available in: NG, GH, KE, ZA, TZ, UG, ZM, MW.

Is Machankura based in a Five Eyes country?

No. Machankura is based in ZA, which is not a Five Eyes member country.

Is Machankura safe to use for privacy?

Use Machankura with caution. Official FAQ says Machankura is fully custodial. USSD/SMS/phone-number use creates telecom metadata and SIM-registration exposure; suitable for small access payments, not savings or high-privacy custody.

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