As Ethiopia works to expand its digital economy and strengthen its position in regional and international trade, a new e-commerce platform is proposing an alternative model for how businesses and consumers connect across the Global South.

Tradplat, founded by Del Harvey, describes itself as the world’s first non-US-dollar, non-SWIFT e-commerce platform. It aims to operate through independently owned national franchises across 77 Global South countries, including 53 of Africa’s 54 countries, allowing consumers to shop in local currencies while giving businesses access to buyers across the network.

In Ethiopia, Tradplat is seeking a local owner-operator partner to establish and run the national platform. The company says the initiative has the support of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration and plans to launch internationally in March or April 2027.

In this interview with Capital’s Groum Abate , Del Harvey explains how Tradplat’s franchise model would work, why the platform is designed to reduce reliance on US-dollar and SWIFT-based payment systems, and what the proposed Ethiopian launch could mean for consumers, manufacturers, exporters and small businesses.

He also discusses the platform’s plans for pricing, delivery, seller verification, product quality and payment in Ethiopian Birr, as well as why Ethiopia has been chosen as the network’s first partner. Excerpts;

Capital: What is Tradplat’s business model?

Del Harvey: Tradplat is an international e-commerce network designed exclusively for the Global South, operating through a franchise model that develops and alternative to the traditional US-dollar and SWIFT-based trade and payment arrangements.

The Global South represents approximately 85% of the world’s population, making it a major market for consumer commerce and international trade. World Bank data for 2025 puts the population of low- and middle-income economies at approximately 6.79 billion, with combined GDP of around US$41.48 trillion. The World Bank also reported that developing economies accounted for 60% of global economic growth.

Tradplat is building an international network of exclusive country franchises, with one independent business partner in each country. Tradplat operates as a Software as a Service (SaaS) provider, supplying each partner with the technology, international branding and payment system needed to operate its own national e-commerce platform.

The network supports both consumer purchases within each country, and business exports to international markets. By connecting locally operated platforms through a shared international network, Tradplat aims to give Ethiopian consumers access to products and local businesses access to buyers across the Global South.

Capital: What problems does Tradplat solve in Ethiopia?

Del Harvey: Tradplat aims to address two important challenges in Ethiopia: high consumer prices and the difficulty local businesses face in finding new export markets.

Ethiopian consumers often face high prices, limited product availability and little choice, particularly outside major cities, when compared to western nations. Tradplat aims to improve access to a wider range of goods through online shopping, including for people living in remote towns and villages. We are committed to offering products between 15% and 25% cheaper than comparable local shop prices. This includes cellphones, beauty products, shoes and clothing, home electronics and electric vehicles.

For Ethiopian businesses, manufacturers, farm cooperatives and traders, finding international buyers and entering new export markets can be difficult. Tradplat provides access to a network of global buyers, creating opportunities to showcase their products and reach customers across participating Global South countries. Any product listed by an Ethiopian business will be seen by buyers across the global network of Tradplat country partners, helping local businesses find potential customers beyond Ethiopia.

Our aim is to give Ethiopian consumers more choice at lower prices, while helping Ethiopian businesses find new customers and expand their reach internationally.

Capital: Why is Tradplat non-US-dollar and restricted to Global South countries?

Del Harvey: Tradplat was created to help Global South countries build stronger trading relationships with one another, and reduce their dependence on an international financial system that can easily be affected by geopolitical decisions.

Economic sanctions are a powerful instrument of western foreign policy, and their effects often extend far beyond the governments they intend to punish, leaving catastrophic results for ordinary people and businesses. Around 18 countries are commonly referenced as being under economic sanctions, with all affected countries being from the Global South. This raises an important question, ‘what happens if a government on the other side of the world decides to restrict Ethiopia or another Global South country’s access to US-dollar payments and international banking?’

Such restrictions could have devastating consequences for local businesses, jobs and the ability to import essential goods, including food and healthcare products. Businesses and governments must therefore prepare for potential geopolitical and economic shocks rather than assume existing trading arrangements will always remain available.

Tradplat’s response is to build an international trading network connecting businesses across Global South countries, with payment arrangements designed to reduce reliance on the US dollar and traditional SWIFT-based systems.

By connecting Ethiopian businesses with buyers throughout this network, Tradplat aims to help them establish a dependable international customer base that is less vulnerable to disruption in any single trading or payment system. In the event of unilateral sanctions against any Global South country, Tradplat could also provide an important alternative channel for continued legal international trade.

Our objective is to give Global South businesses greater control over their commercial future, strengthen trade between participating countries and provide additional resilience against unexpected geopolitical shocks. We are not seeking to isolate these countries from the world, but to ensure that they have alternative methods to trade, when established channels are removed.

Capital: Why have you chosen Ethiopia as your first partner?

Del Harvey: Tradplat represents a new approach to international trade, created specifically for the benefit of Global South consumers and businesses. We believe this is the first e-commerce franchise network designed exclusively to connect Global South markets through locally operated national platforms.

When deciding where to begin this ambitious project, Ethiopia was a natural choice. It has a unique place in African history, a significant regional role and a strong symbolic connection to independence and self-determination. Ethiopia is widely recognised for never having been subjected to sustained colonial rule, making it a particularly meaningful starting point for a platform designed to give Global South businesses greater control over their own commercial future.

Tradplat is a Global South-only, non-US-dollar trading network that seeks to reduce dependence on traditional international trading and payment arrangements. Our decision to start in Ethiopia reflects the country’s historical significance and our ambition to build a new model of international commerce from within the Global South, rather than simply extend an existing Western-centred model into new markets.

We also see Ethiopia as an important base from which to develop the wider African network. We want Ethiopian businesses to benefit from the platform while helping establish connections with customers and commercial partners across other participating countries.

Many years from now, we hope that Ethiopia will be remembered as the country where this international network began, alongside the name of the first Ethiopian Tradplat franchise partner who helped turn the vision into a reality.

Capital: When will you launch, which products and locations will you cover initially?

Del Harvey: Our first priority is to first secure the Tradplat Ethiopia franchise partner. Within a few weeks, we plan to begin onboarding Ethiopia and additional country partners simultaneously for the international launch in March/April 2027.

The launch will include partners from other African and Asian countries. I am already speaking with potential partners from countries who have expressed an interest in joining Tradplat. We intend to invite them to become part of the network after securing our Ethiopian partner.

We plan to launch the Ethiopian marketplace with an initial list of approximately 1,500 products, covering a range similar to what consumers might find on Amazon, alongside products relevant to the needs of Ethiopian consumers and businesses. The initial catalogue will include electric generators, clothing and shoes, smartphones, laptops, televisions, electric cars and a broad selection of everyday consumer and business goods.

Our initial focus for Ethiopia will be Addis Ababa consumer sales and business exports, with the objective of expanding access across all Ethiopia.

Capital: How does the partnership work and how does the partner generate revenue?

Del Harvey: Tradplat does not operate an e-commerce business in Ethiopia and will not have its own office here. Instead, an independent Ethiopian Partner will own and operate the Tradplat franchise business throughout the country. Tradplat does not take shares in the partner’s company; the partner operates its own independent business under the Tradplat branded franchise model.

The partner pays a one-time franchise fee in return for a 10-year renewable licence. This licence fee covers the on-boarding process for the partners team, including technology setup, training and support over an initial period of three to six months. Once on-boarding is complete, the partner launches and operates its own national e-commerce and trade platform.

The partner generates revenue from transactions across Ethiopia, earning from consumer purchases made through the platform, and business export transactions facilitated through it. Additional revenue streams include platform advertising banners and property listings.

Tradplat supplies the software technology, international branding and payment system, while the Ethiopian partner builds and manages the local business. This allows an Ethiopian company to operate a national e-commerce and export-trade platform, without the trouble and expense of having to develop the underlying technology independently.

Capital: Will products be stocked in Ethiopia, or shipped after the customer places an order?

Del Harvey: Tradplat’s model does not require the Ethiopian franchise partner to stock products in a warehouse. Instead, products will be ordered from suppliers after a customer completes a purchase online, helping the partner avoid the cost and risk of holding large amounts of inventory.

This approach gives consumers access to a wider range of products, while allowing us to focus on competitive prices. International e-commerce research by the International Post Corporation shows that consumers are price-conscious, and if available, will increasingly seek competitively priced online goods over retail store prices.

The Ethiopian partner will be responsible for ensuring that imported products are cleared through customs and comply with Ethiopian regulations. Training and support for Ethiopia-specific customs procedures and compliance will be included in the partner’s 3 to 6 month on-boarding process.

Our objective is to give Ethiopian consumers access to competitively priced products without requiring the local franchise partner to invest heavily in inventory before demand is established.

Capital: Will Ethiopian customers see the real price and make payments in Birr?

Del Harvey: Yes. Ethiopian customers will see product prices in Ethiopian Birr, with shipping, taxes and import duties included in the total price before they place an order.

Payments will be made through Tradplat’s own EWallet. We plan to work with local e-wallet providers and banks to make topping up the wallet convenient for customers.

To comply with Ethiopian regulations, the local franchise partner will independently establish a partnership with an Ethiopian bank to manage the e-wallet arrangements. I have already held meetings with several Ethiopian banks that have expressed interest in cooperating with the future Tradplat Ethiopia partner.

Currency conversion and international remittances will be the responsibility of the Tradplat partner and its cooperating bank. Unlike years ago, there are now currently many alternatives to US-dollar and SWIFT-based transfers. This includes correspondent banks, CIPS, PAPSS, UPI, SPFS, MIR and China UnionPay, with new methods such as BRICS Pay coming on-stream soon. These methods are subject to availability, banking agreements and applicable regulations.

Tradplat gives Ethiopian businesses an international opportunity. Products listed by an Ethiopian business can be seen by buyers across the global network of Tradplat country partners, helping local manufacturers, farmers, cooperatives and traders reach potential customers in markets they wouldn’t normally have access to.

Our aim is to combine convenient local-currency shopping for Ethiopian consumers with wider international trading opportunities for Ethiopian businesses.

Capital: How will you verify sellers, product authenticity and quality, particularly for electronics?

Del Harvey: Each Tradplat country partner will be responsible for ensuring that sellers are properly assessed, and that products listed on their national platform meet the required standards for authenticity and quality. Training in seller verification, product selection, branding and quality control will form part of the partner on-boarding process.

In Ethiopia, customers will collect their purchases from designated collection points rather than having products delivered to their homes. At collection, the customer and Tradplat partner staff will open and inspect the goods together, checking for damage, functionality and suitability. Electronics can be tested, while clothing and shoes can be tried on to confirm fit.

If a product is damaged, does not function correctly or is unsuitable, the customer can reject it at the collection point for a full refund. This allows problems to be identified before the customer accepts the purchase, reducing the risk of returns and disputes for the franchise partner.

We believe this collection model offers Ethiopian consumers greater confidence when shopping online, particularly when purchasing electronics. Unlike with some international online purchases, where return procedures can be complicated, expensive or unavailable, Tradplat customers benefit from the ability to inspect and approve their goods before accepting them.