Jack Dorsey’s stated plan to move to Africa for up to six months is dividing Square and Twitter analysts. Former Twitter CEO Dick Costolo and former Twitter COO Adam Bain join ‘Fast Money Halftime Report’ to discuss Dorsey’s tenure so far.
The CEO of both companies said in a tweet last week that he plans to move to the continent for as long as six months. Payment analysts say the opportunity for Square could be tremendous, but they question who will run daily operations. For Twitter, it comes in an election year in which social media companies will likely face increased scrutiny.
Dorsey has already been in Africa for the past month, reportedly meeting with crypto entrepreneurs in Nigeria. He did not say which country he plans to live in.
Some Square analysts see Africa as an untapped and under-served market. African countries are still heavily cash-based, meaning digital payments and the popular Cash App could make inroads. Square could also bring merchant acceptance through the point of sale systems. Lisa Ellis, partner and senior equity analyst at MoffettNathanson, said an Africa expansion “fits tightly with Square’s mission to empower the individual entrepreneur and drive financial inclusion.”
“I can see products like Square’s merchant working capital, and the ability to purchase bitcoin and do fractional investing, having significant applicability in Africa,” Ellis told CNBC. “Someone still has to ‘mind the store’ at home, though.”
The region represents the “future of payments,” according to Macquarie senior payments analyst Dan Dolev. The move could be “very forward thinking” and an opportunity to learn that market in depth, he said. Dolev is also confident that Dorsey can manage both companies remotely.
“This could provide them with a strong perspective on Africa, and a first-mover advantage in a market that will likely be very dominant in payments over the next decades,” Dolev said. “I don’t see any issues, only opportunities.”
Still, investors will likely question how Dorsey will manage the day-to-day operations of Square while he is traveling. Ellis thinks he would likely need to name an interim president or COO of Square. It’s not clear who is the heir apparent and Square declined to comment on the move beyond Dorsey’s tweet.
In the tweet, Dorsey also mentioned bitcoin. The company has leaned into cryptocurrency, launching a dedicated crypto division of Square earlier this year.
For access to live and exclusive video from CNBC subscribe to CNBC PRO: https://www.cnbc.com/pro/?__source=youtube
» Subscribe to CNBC TV: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBCtelevision
» Subscribe to CNBC: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBC
» Subscribe to CNBC Classic: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBCclassic
Turn to CNBC TV for the latest stock market news and analysis. From market futures to live price updates CNBC is the leader in business news worldwide.
Connect with CNBC News Online
Get the latest news: http://www.cnbc.com/
Follow CNBC on LinkedIn: https://cnb.cx/LinkedInCNBC
Follow CNBC News on Facebook: https://cnb.cx/LikeCNBC
Follow CNBC News on Twitter: https://cnb.cx/FollowCNBC
Follow CNBC News on Instagram: https://cnb.cx/InstagramCNBC
source