Global SME lending platform Bitbond and African payment services provider BitPesa announced today that they are joining forces to improve access to financing for SMEs in Africa. Bitbond, which is based in Berlin, Germany, connects fixed-income investors with small business owners who need loans. To make global cross-border lending possible, the platform uses the bitcoin blockchain for payment processing. By working with BitPesa, borrowers who receive funding on Bitbond can now have their loan paid out directly to a mobile money or bank account. BitPesa pays local currency out to the borrower’s preferred payment option within minutes. The integration between Bitbond and BitPesa is now live in Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda and Tanzania.