Super apps have been around since smartphones went mainstream, but have since gained momentum as fintech and digital assets become increasingly recognized as legitimate alternatives to traditional financial models. Super apps are reshaping how people interact with financial services by bundling a range of tools and services into a single, mobile-accessible platform.
Fintech has made financial services faster, cheaper, and user-friendly, while crypto has challenged the very core principles of how money and finance work by making it programmable and removing intermediaries. Super apps are minimizing the divide between traditional banking, digital finance, and digital assets, offering users a new style of finance that blends money with lifestyle.
From a Japanese-based powerhouse to a crypto-native ecosystem and a game-changer in Francophone Africa, these are five super apps that go well beyond finance and social features:
Base
In July, crypto powerhouse Coinbase launched Base, a super app with the same name as its Layer-2 blockchain, to combine the existing Coinbase Wallet with its exchange. The integrated Web3 platform brings social features and messaging, content monetization, trading, payments, mini-apps, and AI agents, effectively transforming Coinbase into an immersive and user-friendly ecosystem. Users can make in-app purchases with USDC or Base Pay, Coinbase’s crypto-native e-commerce payment rail.
The app introduces creator-friendly tools by enabling token-powered posting and tips via Web3 social platforms Zora and Farcaster, allowing user to directly monetize their content. Base uses XMTP for encrypted messaging and money transfers, while a new identity layer simplifies onboarding and cross-app log-ins. This means users can access mini gaming apps, DeFi, prediction markets, and other utilities without separate downloads.
TOMI
Like Coinbase, TOMI, a Web3 infrastructure project creating a decentralized alternative internet, also recently launched a super app that combines several elements from its ecosystem. The TOMI App is a platform that combines messaging, crypto payments, and multi-profile identity management with a user-friendly experience. Within the app, users can chat, make transfers and payments—including within the chat feature—safely manage their assets, monetize content, and more.
With an emphasis on privacy and a smooth onboarding process, the TOMI App doesn’t require users to provide an email, phone number, or wallet connection. Users only need to choose a username, and the app automatically generates a wallet in the background. Embedded in the app’s wallet feature is an AI-powered voice assistant to expedite and simplify routine crypto-related tasks. By mixing AI with social, payment, and monetization features within an intuitive interface, the TOMI App removes many of Web3’s inherent complexities and pain points.
Wave
Wave is rapidly becoming one of Africa’s most popular super apps (primarily in Francophone nations) thanks to its experience providing basic financial services, which is crucial across most parts of Africa. With a mobile-first, low-fee model, Wave has outpaced many of its legacy competitors by offering free deposits and withdrawals, along with a flat one percent transfer fee. Designed for the realities of French-speaking West Africa, the app works offline, uses QR codes instead of smartphones, and is supported by a growing number of agents to serve underbanked communities.
Wave recently received an e-money license from WAEMU (West African Economic and Monetary Union), paving the way for it to introduce savings, microloans, insurance, and various other services—all within its app. Its evolution from a simple wallet to a full-service platform and financial network makes it one of the most intriguing super apps to watch as Africa aims to play a larger role in global economics.
Line
While most super apps began as financial or crypto payment tools, Japanese-based Line started as a messaging platform before adding social media features, digital payments, entertainment, and more. By integrating features like customized user feeds, content sharing, and friend groups, Line has become one of the most dominant players in East Asia.
The company recently added Line Pay, its digital wallet to facilitate on and offline payments, a news stream, digital comics, and games. This move has made the super app the primary digital hub for users across Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, and Indonesia. Line uses sponsored stickers, direct-to-user ads, and e-commerce activities to monetize its platform, enabling the company to reinvest in ecosystem growth.
Spiral
Branded as a purpose-driven fintech platform, NYC-based Spiral operates at the intersection of finance, payments, and social impact. It seamlessly integrates traditional banking services, including debit and savings, with built-in tools for donations and social impact tracking. Users can round up purchases to conveniently donate to legitimate, pre-vetted nonprofits, simplifying money management and charity within a single app.
Thanks to numerous key partnerships, Spiral now embeds its socially aware infrastructure into other products, significantly expanding its reach. By entering the B2B space and focusing on sustainability and philanthropy, the company now helps more users manage their funds in a smarter way and with purpose.
Image by Edward Lich from Pixabay