FinTech investment group Capital Appreciation has reported significant earnings growth for FY'25, marking an impressive 25% uptick, primarily driven by its payments division. Despite navigating a convoluted macroeconomic and political landscape, the group has emerged with a resilient financial performance. CNBC Africa sat down with Capital Appreciation's CEO, Brad Sacks, to delve further into the company's fiscal achievements and strategic outlook. Brad Sacks commenced by describing the fiscal year as particularly challenging due to assorted economic headwinds, geopolitical tensions, and fiscal constraints among clients. In his words, "This last year, from a financial reporting perspective, was one of the more difficult ones we've endured.” Despite these hurdles, Capital Appreciation’s payments division excelled, buoyed by strategic execution of two new contracts. This division is a cornerstone of the group's success within an increasingly competitive marketplace. On the flip side, the software sector within the company endured a downturn. "During the COVID period, we witnessed robust growth in software, but post-pandemic, those levels of demand weren’t sustained," Sacks explained. The company had prepared for anticipated growth that did not materialize, resulting in surplus resources. Sacks admits that they have had to "right-size" the business, initiating a voluntary separation process to streamline operations while remaining optimistic about future prospects in innovative application areas like AI and data analytics. A discussion on the competitive landscape of the payments sector revealed that Capital Appreciation's banking clientele faces rivalry from non-bank entities. "Our clients continue to have a distinct vantage with their broad solutions offering," Sacks assured, adding confidence in their banking partner-related approach. Regionally, the focus remains on expanding market reach beyond South African borders. Capital Appreciation is actively considering opportunities across the African continent, Europe, and Latin America. Their product, Halodot, has been a significant player in expanding their international footprint and is a noteworthy driver of growth in these regions. In the face of ongoing economic emulsions post-national elections, Sacks was queried on his outlook for the company. “Our optimism in payments remains high; conversely, software's prospects are improving,” he noted. Sacks suggested that a pivotal element for software rejuvenation is increased discretionary expenditure by banking clients on innovation projects which promise substantial ROI. As for the future, Sacks is fixated on broadening Capital Appreciation's international relationships and market reach. Collaborations with tech behemoths such as AWS and Confluent, enhanced by their newly achieved AWS Premier Status, will be instrumental in facilitating and executing international projects. With strategic offices in Amsterdam bolstered by cost-effective operations in South Africa, the company is poised to capitalize on emerging global opportunities.