OPay is one of the best-known fintech companies in Nigeria, but its ownership is often misunderstood.

Some websites describe OPay as a company owned by Opera. Others say Chinese billionaire Yahui Zhou is the owner. There are also claims that SoftBank or Sequoia owns OPay because they invested in the company.

The reality is more complicated.

OPay is a privately held fintech company, and its ownership is spread across different shareholders and investment entities. Opera was an early investor and incubator of OPay, but Opera is no longer the majority owner. According to Opera’s latest annual report, it held a 9.5% ownership interest in OPay as of December 31, 2025.

So, who owns OPay today?

This article explains OPay’s ownership structure, the role of Yahui Zhou, Opera’s connection to the company, its major investors and how OPay developed into one of Nigeria’s biggest fintech platforms.

Who Owns OPay?

OPay is owned by a group of shareholders and investment entities rather than one publicly disclosed individual owner.

However, Yahui Zhou, also known as James Yahui Zhou, is one of the most important people in OPay’s ownership and leadership structure.

Opera’s 2025 annual report identifies Zhou as its executive chairman and states that he also serves as executive chairman of OPay. It further explains that Zhou serves at OPay as a representative of his personal investment entities.

The exact percentage of OPay owned by Zhou personally is not publicly disclosed in the same way that Opera’s 9.5% investment is disclosed.

This is why it is more accurate to say that Yahui Zhou is a key controlling figure associated with OPay, rather than simply saying that he personally owns 100% of OPay.

Is OPay Owned by Opera?

No. Opera does not own OPay outright.

Opera played an important role in creating and funding OPay. Opera said in an earlier investor announcement that it incubated OPay in 2018 and that the fintech subsequently raised capital from outside investors including SoftBank, Sequoia, IDG, Redpoint and Source Code. At that time, Opera said it owned approximately 13% of OPay.

That ownership percentage later changed.

Opera’s 2025 annual report shows that its OPay investment stood at 9.5% at the end of 2025, compared with 9.4% at the end of 2024.

Therefore, describing OPay as simply “owned by Opera” is no longer accurate.

A better description is:

OPay is a privately held fintech company in which Opera remains a minority shareholder, while Yahui Zhou and other investors have interests in the business.

Who Is Yahui Zhou?

Yahui Zhou, also known as James Yahui Zhou, is a Chinese technology entrepreneur and billionaire.

He is best known for founding Kunlun Tech, a Chinese internet company, and for his involvement with Opera and OPay.

Forbes identifies Zhou as the founder and director of Beijing Kunlun Tech and says he stepped down from his role as chairman of Kunlun in 2020 to focus on his African mobile-payment business, OPay.

He has also played a major role at Opera.

Opera’s 2025 annual report states that Zhou has served as chairman of Opera’s board since 2016 and became its executive chairman in October 2025. The report also identifies him as the controlling shareholder of Kunlun Tech.

His connection with OPay therefore goes beyond simply being an investor.

He has been closely involved in the company’s development and remains a key figure in its corporate structure.

Is Yahui Zhou the Founder of OPay?

The answer requires some context.

OPay was incubated by Opera in 2018, and Zhou was one of the key figures behind Opera’s African fintech strategy.

Opera itself said that it incubated OPay in 2018 before OPay raised additional funding from outside investors.

Because of Zhou’s leadership role at Opera and his subsequent involvement with OPay, he is often described as the founder or key founder behind OPay.

However, OPay’s history is more complicated than a conventional startup founded by one person.

The company developed from an existing Nigerian payments business and was subsequently transformed into the OPay platform that became widely known across Nigeria.

For that reason, it is more accurate to describe Zhou as a key founder and driving force behind modern OPay rather than suggesting that he created the entire business from nothing.

Where Did OPay Come From?

OPay’s history in Nigeria can be traced to Paycom Nigeria Limited, a payments business that operated before the OPay brand became prominent.

Opera later became involved in the business and launched OPay as part of its expansion into African digital services.

By 2018, Opera had incubated OPay as a mobile-focused fintech platform.

The company initially offered more than financial services. Opera’s 2019 announcement described OPay as a mobile platform covering payments, transportation, food and grocery delivery and other everyday services.

The business eventually focused much more heavily on financial services.

That transition helped OPay become a major player in Nigeria’s digital payments market.

When Was OPay Founded?

OPay’s modern fintech operation dates to 2018, when Opera incubated the OPay platform.

This is the date most closely associated with the beginning of modern OPay.

However, the business has roots in the earlier Paycom Nigeria operation, which is why different websites sometimes give different dates for OPay’s founding.

For a reader trying to understand the company, the distinction is important:

Paycom Nigeria represents the earlier business.
OPay emerged as the modern digital-finance platform in 2018.
Opera played a major role in incubating and developing OPay.
OPay later attracted significant outside investment.

Opera itself confirms that it incubated OPay in 2018.

Who Invested in OPay?

OPay attracted several major technology and venture-capital investors during its expansion.

Among the investors associated with OPay’s funding rounds are:

Opera
SoftBank
Sequoia Capital China
IDG Capital
Redpoint
Source Code Capital

Opera announced in 2020 that OPay had raised more than $170 million in outside capital and specifically named SoftBank, Sequoia, IDG, Redpoint and Source Code among its investors.

Another Opera announcement reported a $50 million OPay funding round involving IDG Capital, Sequoia China, Source Code Capital and Opera.

These investments helped OPay expand its technology, payment infrastructure and operations.

Does Investing in OPay Mean They Own OPay?

Not necessarily.

An investor receives an ownership interest based on the terms of its investment, but that does not mean the investor controls the company.

This distinction is important when discussing companies such as OPay.

A company can have several investors while still having a particular shareholder or group with greater influence over strategic decisions.

How Much of OPay Does Opera Own?

According to Opera’s 2025 annual report, Opera owned 9.5% of OPay as of December 31, 2025.

Opera reported an ownership interest of 9.4% in 2024 and 9.5% in 2025.

Opera classifies OPay as a financial asset rather than a subsidiary that it controls.

The report also states that Opera’s management concluded that Opera itself does not have significant influence over OPay, even though Opera’s executive chairman also serves as OPay’s executive chairman.

This is one of the strongest reasons not to describe OPay as an Opera-owned subsidiary.

Does Opera Still Have a Relationship With OPay?

Yes.

Opera remains a shareholder in OPay.

Its 2025 annual report says Opera held 9.5% of OPay at the end of 2025.

There is also a leadership connection because Opera’s executive chairman, Yahui Zhou, serves as executive chairman of OPay.

However, Opera’s filing makes an important distinction: Zhou’s role at OPay is connected to his personal investment entities, rather than him acting as an Opera representative.

This means the relationship between Opera, Zhou and OPay should not be reduced to “Opera owns OPay.”

Does SoftBank Own OPay?

SoftBank is an investor in OPay, but that does not mean SoftBank owns the entire company.

SoftBank participated in OPay’s fundraising as the fintech expanded its operations.

Opera identified SoftBank among the outside investors that backed OPay during its early expansion.

The same applies to other venture-capital firms.

Being an investor means holding an investment interest in the company. It does not automatically make the investor the controlling owner.

Does Sequoia Capital Own OPay?

Sequoia Capital China was also an investor in OPay.

Opera named Sequoia among the major investors that provided capital to OPay.

However, Sequoia’s investment should not be confused with sole ownership.

OPay is a privately held company with multiple investors and investment interests.

Is OPay a Chinese Company?

This question often comes up because of the background of some of its major shareholders and executives.

OPay operates in Nigeria and other emerging markets, but its ownership and corporate history have strong Chinese investment connections.

Yahui Zhou is Chinese, and he is a major figure in both OPay and Kunlun Tech.

Opera, meanwhile, is a company founded in Norway and listed on Nasdaq.

So describing OPay simply as either a “Nigerian company” or a “Chinese company” can oversimplify its structure.

A better description is that OPay is a privately held international fintech company with major operations in Nigeria and significant Chinese investment and leadership connections.

Is OPay a Nigerian Company?

OPay has a major presence in Nigeria and provides financial services to Nigerian consumers, merchants and agents.

Its Nigerian operations are conducted through locally regulated entities and are subject to Nigerian financial regulations.

However, the ownership of the wider OPay business is not exclusively Nigerian.

The company’s investment history includes international investors, while its corporate structure includes entities outside Nigeria.

Therefore, OPay can be described as a major Nigerian fintech operator with international ownership and investment connections.

Who Is the CEO of OPay?

Leadership and ownership are not the same thing.

As of the information disclosed by Opera for the end of 2025, Yahui Zhou serves as OPay’s executive chairman, while OPay’s day-to-day executive leadership should not be confused with ownership. Opera’s filing specifically identifies Zhou as executive chairman of OPay.

This distinction matters because a company’s chairman does not necessarily personally own the entire company.

Who Controls OPay?

There is no publicly available shareholder table that gives a simple answer such as “Person X owns 51% of OPay.”

However, available corporate filings establish that Yahui Zhou has a significant relationship with OPay.

Opera’s 2025 annual report says its executive chairman has significant influence over OPay and serves as a member of OPay’s key management personnel. It also says he serves at OPay through his personal investment entities.

Therefore, Zhou is clearly one of the most influential people associated with the company.

But the exact percentage of OPay owned or controlled by him personally is not publicly disclosed in Opera’s filing.

That is why claims such as “Yahui Zhou owns exactly 30% of OPay” should be treated carefully unless supported by a current primary source.

Is OPay Publicly Traded?

No.

OPay is a privately held company.

This means ordinary investors cannot simply search for an OPay stock ticker and buy shares of OPay through a public stock exchange.

Opera’s 2025 annual report explicitly describes OPay as a privately held fintech company.

This is also one reason why determining OPay’s complete shareholder structure is more difficult than determining the ownership of a public company.

Public companies generally have extensive shareholder disclosures.

Private companies have fewer publicly available details about their complete cap table.

Is OPay Owned by Opera or Kunlun?

Neither statement is completely accurate if it is meant to suggest that either company owns OPay outright.

Opera owns 9.5% of OPay, according to its 2025 annual report.

Kunlun Tech is closely connected to Yahui Zhou, who is its controlling shareholder and also the executive chairman of Opera.

Zhou’s personal investment entities are also connected to his role at OPay.

Therefore, the corporate relationships can look complicated when viewed from the outside.

The simplest accurate explanation is:

OPay is privately held, Opera is a minority shareholder, and Yahui Zhou is a major controlling figure associated with the company through his investment interests and leadership role.

How Did OPay Become So Popular in Nigeria?

OPay’s growth was supported by several factors.

Digital payments

The company built a platform that allowed users to carry out everyday financial transactions digitally.

Agent network

Its agent and POS network helped bring digital financial services closer to people who might not regularly use traditional banking channels.

Smartphone adoption

The increasing use of smartphones created a larger market for app-based financial services.

Investment

OPay received significant funding from international investors, giving it capital to expand its infrastructure and operations.

Financial inclusion

Nigeria has a large population with different levels of access to traditional financial services. Digital financial platforms created another way for people to participate in the formal financial system.

Opera highlighted Nigeria’s underbanked population and the opportunity for mobile financial services when discussing its investment in OPay.

Is OPay a Bank?

OPay’s Nigerian financial operations should not simply be described as a traditional commercial bank.

The company operates through regulated financial entities and provides digital financial services.

Its services have expanded beyond a simple wallet and include payments, transfers, savings-related products, merchant services and other financial offerings.

Opera describes OPay as a fintech company providing digital financial services including payments, transfers, savings and lending products, as well as point-of-sale and merchant acquiring services.

This is why calling it “OPay Bank” can be misleading when discussing the wider company.

Is OPay Safe and Regulated in Nigeria?

Ownership is separate from regulation.

OPay’s Nigerian operations operate within Nigeria’s financial regulatory framework, and customers should distinguish between the company behind the platform and the specific Nigerian entity providing a financial service.

For users, the most important consideration is to use the official OPay application and follow the applicable verification and security requirements.

Do not assume that an article claiming a particular person owns OPay tells you whether a particular OPay service is regulated.

Those are separate questions.

Why Do People Say Opera Owns OPay?

The confusion comes from OPay’s history.

Opera played a major role in creating and developing the platform.

In its earlier disclosures, Opera openly described OPay as an investment that it had incubated. Opera also reported a larger ownership percentage in earlier years.

As OPay raised additional capital and its ownership structure changed, Opera’s percentage decreased.

Today, Opera’s reported OPay ownership is 9.5%, not 100%.

Because Opera remains closely associated with OPay’s history, many older articles continue to describe OPay as an Opera subsidiary.

That description is outdated.

OPay Ownership Explained Simply

If you want the short version, here is the ownership story:

Question	Answer
Is OPay privately owned?	Yes
Does Opera own OPay?	Opera owns a minority stake
How much does Opera own?	9.5% as of December 31, 2025
Is Opera the sole owner?	No
Who is a major figure behind OPay?	Yahui Zhou
Is Yahui Zhou OPay’s executive chairman?	Yes
Does SoftBank have an investment connection?	Yes
Did Sequoia invest in OPay?	Yes
Is OPay publicly traded?	No
Is OPay operated in Nigeria?	Yes
Is the complete OPay shareholder structure public?	Not in a simple comprehensive public table

Opera’s 2025 filing is the key source for the current 9.5% figure and Zhou’s relationship with OPay.

Frequently Asked Questions About OPay Ownership

Who owns OPay in Nigeria?

OPay is not owned by one publicly disclosed individual. It is a privately held company with multiple shareholders and investors. Yahui Zhou is a major figure associated with its ownership and leadership, while Opera held a 9.5% stake at the end of 2025.

Is OPay owned by Opera?

No. Opera is a minority shareholder in OPay. Its reported ownership was 9.5% as of December 31, 2025.

Who founded OPay?

Modern OPay was incubated by Opera in 2018, with Yahui Zhou playing a major role in the company’s development.

Who is Yahui Zhou?

Yahui Zhou is a Chinese technology entrepreneur, founder of Kunlun Tech and executive chairman of Opera and OPay.

Is Yahui Zhou the owner of OPay?

He is a major controlling figure associated with OPay through his investment interests and leadership role. However, the exact percentage of OPay that he personally owns is not publicly disclosed in the current Opera filing.

Does SoftBank own OPay?

SoftBank is an investor associated with OPay, but it is not the sole owner of the company.

Does Sequoia own OPay?

Sequoia Capital China participated in OPay’s funding, but it does not own the entire company.

Is OPay a Chinese company?

OPay has significant Chinese investment and leadership connections, but it operates internationally and has major operations in Nigeria. It is better described as a privately held international fintech company rather than simply labeling it Chinese or Nigerian.

Is OPay publicly traded?

No. OPay is privately held.

Can I buy OPay shares?

Not through a public stock exchange. OPay is privately held, so it does not have a publicly traded OPay stock ticker.

Does Opera still own part of OPay?

Yes. Opera reported a 9.5% ownership interest in OPay at December 31, 2025.

Is OPay owned by Kunlun Tech?

The relationship between OPay, Kunlun and Yahui Zhou is significant, but OPay should not simply be described as a wholly owned Kunlun subsidiary. OPay is privately held, and Opera’s filing describes Zhou’s OPay role as being connected to his personal investment entities.

Final Verdict: Who Really Owns OPay?

The simplest answer is that OPay is not owned by one company or one publicly disclosed individual.

It is a privately held fintech company backed by multiple investors.

Opera played a major role in creating and developing OPay and remains an investor. However, Opera’s latest annual report shows that its ownership had fallen to 9.5% by December 31, 2025.

Yahui Zhou is one of the most important people behind OPay. He is OPay’s executive chairman and is connected to the company through personal investment entities. Opera’s filing says he has significant influence over OPay.

OPay has also received funding from major international investors including SoftBank, Sequoia Capital China, IDG Capital, Redpoint and Source Code Capital.

So if someone asks:

“Who owns OPay?”

The most accurate short answer is:

OPay is a privately held fintech company with multiple investors. Yahui Zhou is a key controlling figure associated with the company, while Opera remains a minority shareholder with a 9.5% stake reported at the end of 2025.

That explanation is more accurate than simply saying “Opera owns OPay.”

Sources

Opera Limited 2025 Annual Report: Information on OPay’s private-company status, Opera’s 9.5% stake and Yahui Zhou’s relationship with OPay.
Opera investor announcement: OPay’s 2018 incubation by Opera and early outside investors.
Opera funding announcement: OPay investment involving Opera, IDG Capital, Sequoia China and Source Code Capital.
Forbes profile: Background on Yahui Zhou and his role in OPay.

Disclaimer: Ownership information for a private company can change as shares are issued, transferred or sold. This article uses publicly available corporate disclosures and has been updated for August 2026. Where a complete current OPay shareholder breakdown is not publicly disclosed, the article does not present estimates as confirmed ownership figures.