International mobile telecoms provider Zain has launched a new package of mobile banking services in direct competition with the M-Pesa service operated by its main rival Safaricom. Zap, as the new service is called, allows customers to send and receive money through Zain outlets as well as to pay utilities bills, interact with their bank and perform other financial operations such as international money transfers. Launched in conjunction with Standard Chartered and Citigroup, the service is currently available only in Kenya and Tanzania, but it will be extended to Uganda and then to other countries in Zain
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