The verdict in three sentences
In 2026, float — the money sitting idle on your Wave and Orange Money wallets — earns 0%, while a bank savings account yields around 3.5%. For a Dakar merchant leaving 500,000 FCFA idle every night, putting that money to work via a sweep to the bank can generate a positive net yield. Float management means turning dead cash into income, provided you calibrate the profitability threshold against transfer fees.
The cost of idle cash
Take the typical flow of a Dakar electronics merchant. Money comes in fast, goes out fast, but a residual balance stays locked up each night, at zero yield.
| Daily flow | Amount |
|---|---|
| Wave inflow | 800,000 FCFA |
| Orange Money inflow | 300,000 FCFA |
| Expenses / outflows | 600,000 FCFA |
| Idle float overnight | ~500,000 FCFA |
| Current yield (wallet) | 0% |
| Target yield (savings) | 3.5% |
The finding: 500,000 FCFA at 0% every night is a silent shortfall. Over a year, this float could earn on the order of 17,500 FCFA if swept to an interest-bearing account.
Sweep options and profitability threshold (2026)
| Sweep option | Transfer fee | Annual yield on 500,000 | Break-even threshold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wave to bank (> 200,000 FCFA) | 0.5% | ~17,500 FCFA gross | ~520,000 FCFA float |
| OM to bank account | 1% | ~17,500 FCFA gross | higher float required |
| Weekly sweep | 0.5% (1 transfer) | nearly identical yield | markedly lower |
| Keep in wallet | 0% | 0 FCFA | never profitable |
The trade-off is clear: 500,000 FCFA x 3.5% = 17,500 FCFA/year, but daily sweep fees (around 18,000 FCFA/year at 0.5%) almost wipe out the gain. The tipping point: sweep less often (weekly) or only trigger the sweep above ~520,000 FCFA of float, so the yield exceeds the fees.
Mini case study
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Cheikh, manager of an electronics shop in Dakar, leaves on average 500,000 FCFA idle each night. If he sweeps daily to a UBA account at 3.5%, he earns 17,500 FCFA/year but pays ~18,000 FCFA in fees: a break-even operation. By switching to a weekly sweep (a single 0.5% transfer per week, i.e. ~26,000 FCFA/year of fees on higher cumulative amounts), he keeps most of the yield while dividing the number of operations. Conclusion: float management is only profitable if the float exceeds ~520,000 FCFA or if sweep frequency is optimized (estimate, 2026 order of magnitude).
Toward interest-bearing wallets: BCEAO regulation
A structural change is on the horizon: the BCEAO is studying a framework for interest-bearing e-wallets, expected around Q3 2026. If it materializes, float could earn directly on the wallet, without sweeping or transfer fees — radically changing the equation for all merchants. Until then, a calibrated weekly sweep remains the best approach.
FAQ
What exactly is float? It's the money that stays on your Wave/OM wallets between collections and expenses. Currently earning 0%, it represents an invisible opportunity cost.
Is a daily sweep always profitable? No. At 0.5% fees, sweeping 500,000 FCFA every day costs more than the 3.5% annual yield brings. Favor a weekly sweep or a trigger threshold.
Which savings account to target in Dakar? UBA, Ecobank or equivalent accounts around 3.5% in 2026. Check account-keeping fees that can eat into the yield.
Above what float does the sweep become profitable? Around 520,000 FCFA of regular idle float, the yield exceeds the transfer fees. Below that, space out the sweeps.
Will BCEAO regulation change everything? Potentially. An interest-bearing e-wallet framework expected in Q3 2026 could make float productive directly on the wallet, without sweep or fees.
Let's talk about your project. We set up your float management strategy and Wave/OM to bank integration. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
