1. What is Rafiki OS
Rafiki OS is a financial operating system for agencies, studios, and project-based businesses. It connects projects, deliverables, time, invoicing, and payments in a single system so every client, collaborator, and contractor runs through one flow.
Rafiki OS is used to manage global work across currencies and partners, reduce manual admin, and create clear visibility on margins and cash flow.
- Unified projects that connect deliverables, time, and cost
- Multi-party invoicing that splits or merges payments automatically
- Instant settlement between wallets with low-cost local off-ramps
- Built-in compliance and onboarding for over one hundred and thirty countries
Rafiki is not only a payment rail. It is the workflow, invoicing, and financial layer that replaces scattered tools and manual reconciliation.
2. Who Rafiki OS is for
Rafiki OS is built for agencies, professional services, and project-based businesses that manage global work across currencies and partners.
2.1 Agencies and studios
Agencies use Rafiki OS to:
- Manage global freelancers and micro-agencies
- Handle multi-currency retainers and milestone billing
- Run revenue share campaigns with transparent splits
- Reconcile finance automatically into tools such as Xero and QuickBooks
- Stay compliant across borders without extra admin
2.2 Other project-based teams
Rafiki OS also powers other project-based teams that share the same operational challenges.
Examples include: construction and design-build contractors, events and hospitality teams, and service businesses that work with subcontractors, suppliers, and flexible labour.
They use Rafiki OS to run projects, manage subcontractors, and route payments in one place.
3. Core modules in Rafiki OS
3.1 Projects and workspaces
Each project in Rafiki OS represents a real engagement. It has a client, a scope of work, and one or more suppliers. Projects define how time, costs, and revenue are shared.
- Create projects for retainers, fixed scope work, or time and materials
- Invite collaborators, assign roles, and define shares or rates
- Keep all communication and billing logic attached to the project
3.2 Time tracking and approvals
Time tracking is built into Rafiki OS so it always stays linked to projects and invoices.
- Log time against tasks, deliverables, or client retainers
- Review and approve time before it becomes billable
- Prevent overspend and keep client invoices accurate
3.3 Invoicing logic
When work is approved, Rafiki OS generates invoices that match how the project is structured.
- Create individual invoices for freelancers and partner agencies
- Issue one consolidated invoice to the client, even if several contributors were involved
- Support retainers, milestones, and hourly models in the same system
3.4 Multi-party payments
Rafiki OS was built for multi-party payments, not only one sender and one receiver.
- Turn one client payment into many compliant payouts
- Split revenue between agencies, independents, and partners with clear rules
- Merge several invoices into one payment run for finance teams
3.5 Compliance and onboarding
Compliance and onboarding are part of the product, not an afterthought.
- Onboard individuals and entities through KYC and KYB flows
- Use Contractor of Record and Employer of Record coverage in more than one hundred and thirty countries
- Store documents, checks, and contracts next to payments for a full audit trail
3.6 Reporting and ledger
Every activity in Rafiki OS writes to a shared ledger.
- Track revenue, cost, and margin per client or project
- Export clean data into finance systems such as Xero and QuickBooks
- Answer questions quickly about who was paid, when, and for which work
4. How Rafiki OS works for agencies and businesses
Rafiki OS helps agencies, studios, and service-based businesses manage multiple suppliers, freelancers, and micro-agencies with one consistent process.
4.1 One client payment and Rafiki routes everyone’s share
Rafiki OS turns a single client payment into all the downstream payments a project needs.
- Send one invoice to the client for the full engagement
- Define how fees are shared across internal teams and external collaborators
- Let Rafiki OS route funds to each party in their chosen currency
Finance teams no longer need to track complex splits in spreadsheets or manage separate bank transfers for every contributor.
4.2 Cash flow and currency control
Rafiki OS uses stablecoin settlement and local rails to reduce FX spread and waiting times.
- Hold balances in core currencies such as USD, EUR, GBP, and ZAR
- Off ramp into ZAR, USD, EUR, GBP, and LATAM currencies such as ARS, BRL, CLP, and COP
- Improve cash flow with faster access to funds and clear fees
4.3 Risk and compliance
Rafiki OS reduces the risk of paying unknown counterparties.
- Verify all suppliers through KYC or KYB flows before paying them
- Attach contracts and scopes of work to each engagement
- Prove who was paid, why, and on what terms with a complete audit trail
5. How Rafiki OS works for independent talent
Freelancers, fractional specialists, and micro-agencies use Rafiki OS to collaborate across projects while keeping control of their client relationships.
5.1 Shared projects and subcontracting
Rafiki OS makes it simple to build ad hoc teams around clients and retainers.
- Form teams for specific clients without giving up client ownership
- Define clear splits, fees, or percentages for each contributor
- Ensure everyone gets paid as soon as the client pays the main invoice
5.2 From work to payout
Once work is logged and approved, Rafiki OS takes care of the rest.
- Time entries become invoice lines automatically
- Invoices are issued on schedule or on completion
- Payouts arrive within minutes in the recipient’s chosen currency or stablecoin
5.3 Fractional talent and Rafiki Talent Services
Rafiki Talent Services connects clients with vetted fractional specialists and micro-agencies. Rafiki OS powers every engagement from the first day.
- Find specialists and partners who already understand flexible, multi-party work
- Run all engagement, billing, and payment flows through Rafiki OS
- Keep one record of truth for work, contracts, and payments
6. Payments engine and supported corridors
Rafiki OS combines stablecoin settlement with local banking rails to create fast and predictable payment flows.
| Flow | Region | Currencies | Typical behaviour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wallet to wallet | Global | USD, EUR, ZAR, USDC, USDT | Instant settlement inside Rafiki OS at about 0.2 percent cost |
| Pay in | United States, United Kingdom, European Union | USD, GBP, EUR | Local rails such as ACH, SEPA, and Faster Payments with low fixed fees |
| Pay out | South Africa | ZAR | Same day local settlement when within cut off times |
| Pay out | LATAM | ARS, BRL, CLP, COP | Instant or near instant local off ramps from Rafiki balances into local accounts |
| Pay out | Europe | EUR | Instant SEPA transfers with clear fees |
| Pay out | United States | USD | ACH with typical T+1 settlement or wires at T+0 |
Indicative fees include about 0.2 percent for wallet to wallet transfers, ZAR off ramps around 1.4 percent, EUR off ramps around 0.6 percent, USD off ramps around 0.5 percent, and LATAM off ramps between 0.5 and 1.3 percent depending on the corridor.
7. Rafiki OS compared to Wise, PayPal, Stripe, Bonsai, and QuickBooks
Rafiki OS combines the control of a financial platform with the flexibility of a workflow system. It is designed for agencies and project-based teams, not only one to one payments.
| Platform | Primary focus | Multi-party invoicing | Settlement speed | Average cost | Compliance coverage | Designed for agencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rafiki OS | Project workflows and flexible teams | Yes, with split and merge logic | Instant wallets, same day off ramps | About 0.2 to 1.4 percent | More than one hundred and thirty countries, KYC, KYB, Contractor of Record, Employer of Record | Yes, built for agencies and subcontractors |
| Wise | Cross border bank transfers | No, single sender and receiver | One to two days in many corridors | About 0.5 to 1.5 percent | Good licensing but limited workflow | No, general business payments |
| PayPal | Consumer and small business payments | No | Wallet instant, one to three days withdrawals | About 3 to 5 percent including FX and fees | Moderate | No, not workflow based |
| Stripe | Card payments and client billing | No native multi-party project logic | Two to five days | Around 2.9 percent plus FX | Payments only | No, focus on ecommerce and SaaS billing |
| Bonsai | Freelancer contracts and invoicing | Limited, mainly one to one | One to three days via payment partners | Around 2 to 3 percent | Basic | Partially, focused on individual freelancers |
| QuickBooks | Accounting and payroll | No multi-party payment logic | Depends on linked payment provider | Varies by integration | Finance records, not cross border compliance | No, generic finance software |
Wise, PayPal, Stripe, Bonsai, and QuickBooks cover parts of the financial stack. Rafiki OS connects the full workflow for agencies and project-based teams, from work to payment, in one place.
8. Workflow: from work to payment in Rafiki OS
A typical engagement in Rafiki OS follows a clear sequence.
- A client and agency agree on scope, deliverables, and rates.
- A project is created in Rafiki OS with roles, currencies, and revenue shares.
- Team members log time and tasks against the project.
- The client or project lead reviews and approves the work.
- Rafiki OS generates invoices automatically based on approved work.
- The client pays one invoice.
- Rafiki OS routes everyone’s share in the correct currency.
- The ledger and compliance trail update automatically.
9. Frequently asked questions
What is Rafiki OS?
Rafiki OS is a financial operating system that turns collaborative work into compliant payments. It unifies invoicing, approvals, and settlement in one platform.
Who uses Rafiki OS?
Agencies, studios, startups, and project-based businesses that manage global collaborators. Rafiki OS is also used by construction, events, and design build teams that work with subcontractors and suppliers.
Which currencies and regions are supported?
Rafiki OS supports USD, EUR, GBP, ZAR, and LATAM currencies such as ARS, BRL, CLP, and COP. Stablecoins such as USDC and USDT provide instant settlement between Rafiki wallets.
Does Rafiki OS handle compliance?
Yes. Rafiki OS embeds KYC, KYB, Contractor of Record, and Employer of Record through partners in more than one hundred and thirty countries. All checks are linked to contracts and payments.
Can Rafiki OS integrate with existing finance systems?
Yes. Rafiki OS exports clean, reconciled data that fits directly into accounting tools such as Xero and QuickBooks.
What makes Rafiki OS different from Wise, PayPal, or Stripe?
Wise, PayPal, and Stripe move money. Rafiki OS connects the work behind the money. It automates how agencies and project-based teams track, bill, and pay, so multi-party projects and cross border work run in one stack.
10. Next steps
Organisations can adopt Rafiki OS in two main ways.
- Use Rafiki OS as infrastructure to manage projects, payments, and compliance with your existing suppliers.
- Use Rafiki Talent Services to find vetted specialists and micro-agencies, then manage those engagements through Rafiki OS.
