Mombasa, Kenya  ·  FX Research & Advisory

Does your business know what its foreign currency is really costing?

Most businesses paying or receiving in USD, EUR or GBP lose money silently — through bank spreads, poor timing, and no benchmark. Verity is researching this problem across East Africa, one conversation at a time.

Talk to Us The Problem

The Problem

Your bank's rate and the real rate are not the same thing.

Every time a business converts foreign currency, the bank applies a spread — the difference between the mid-market rate and what they charge you. On a USD 50,000 transaction at a 2% spread, that is KES 130,000 gone silently.

Most finance managers compare their bank's rate against other banks. But other banks are also applying spreads. The correct benchmark is the mid-market rate — published daily by the Central Bank of Kenya.

Verity is documenting how businesses across Mombasa currently make FX decisions — and what it is costing them. We are in active research and we want to hear from you.

2–4%
Typical bank spread on FX transactions — often invisible to the business paying it
Mid-Market
The real benchmark rate — what you should be comparing your bank's rate against, every single time
See what your rate costs you — right now Try the Verity FX Calculator → Enter your bank's rate or the amounts from your last transaction. See the margin in actual KES — instantly. Free, no account needed.
82+
Companies active at the Mombasa Tea Auction alone — each converting millions in USD annually

Who We Talk To

Any business that touches foreign currency regularly.

🌿
Tea & Coffee Exporters
Converting USD receipts from international buyers into KES. High volume, frequent conversions, significant spread exposure.
📦
Importers & Traders
Paying overseas suppliers in USD or EUR. Timing of conversion directly affects cost of goods and margins.
🏨
Hotels & Tourism
Receiving USD and EUR from OTAs and international guests. Conversion timing and channel selection matter significantly.
🌾
Commodity Traders
Buying and selling grain, oilseeds and agricultural products across borders. Multi-currency exposure on both sides.

Our Research

Verity is conducting primary field research across Mombasa to document how businesses that handle foreign currency — tea exporters, importers, logistics companies, manufacturers — currently make FX decisions, and what those decisions are really costing them.

This information does not exist in any published form. We are building it directly from conversations with the finance managers and CFOs who manage FX on a daily basis.

A single conversation of 20 minutes with whoever handles your foreign currency payments — your Finance Manager, CFO, or equivalent. We ask about your current process and how rates are managed. No exact figures required. No account details requested.

All research is conducted directly by Brian Kiptoo, Founder of Verity, Mombasa.

  • A summary of anonymised findings when the study is complete — no company identified by name.
  • Early access to any tools Verity develops — including the FX benchmark calculator already live.
  • Verity is independent — not affiliated with any bank, bureau de change, or financial institution.
BK
Brian Kiptoo
Founder  ·  Verity

Based in Mombasa, Kenya. Brian founded Verity after observing how businesses across East Africa lose significant value on foreign currency transactions without realising it — and decided to understand the problem deeply before building any solution.

Let's have a conversation.

If your business pays or receives in foreign currency and you are open to a 20-minute research conversation, we want to hear from you. No pitch. No product. Just questions.