Airtel Money, part of Bharti Airtel group controlled by Sunil Mittal and family, began trading on the London Stock Exchange on Friday at an implied valuation of 5.3 billion pounds (about $7 billion) as it seeks to expand its digital financial services platform across the continent.Priced at 1.96 pounds apiece, Airtel Money’s shares began conditional dealings on the exchange’s Main Market under the ticker AMC on October 9. It will start formal unconditional trading from October 14. The initial public offering attracted demand several times the number of shares available, reflecting investor appetite for exposure to Africa’s expanding digital payments and financial inclusion markets.Airtel Africa, which is majority-owned by India’s Bharti Enterprises, held nearly 78% of Airtel Money before the IPO and has indicated that it intends to remain a long-term shareholder.The listing provides a public-market route into Airtel Money, which has built its business around making financial services more accessible to millions of people across African markets.“This is a landmark moment for Airtel Money,” chief executive Ian Ferrao said, describing the London listing as an important new chapter for the business and a reflection of the opportunities ahead.The offer comprises the sale of 270 million existing shares by minority shareholders.Mastercard Asia/Pacific Pte Ltd is making up to a further 27 million shares available through an over-allotment option. If the option is exercised in full, the final offer size will reach 582 million pounds, representing approximately 11% of Airtel Money’s share capital at admission.Story continues below this adThe company’s issued share capital immediately following admission will be 2.7 billion shares.The structure of the offering means the IPO primarily involves existing shareholders selling their holdings rather than the company issuing new shares to raise fresh capital. Consequently, the transaction provides liquidity to selling shareholders and creates a public-market valuation for the business, but does not itself represent a comparable injection of new equity into Airtel Money.Also Read | Explained: What Bharti Airtel’s raising money through rights issue means for the companyThe International Finance Corporation (IFC) has been allocated 34.29 million shares at a consideration of £67.2 million, fulfilling its entire commitment under the cornerstone investment agreement.The offer was made to qualified institutional buyers in the United States and institutional investors in the United Kingdom and other international markets, subject to applicable securities regulations.Story continues below this adA retail offer was also made available to eligible investors resident and physically present in the UK through participating investment platforms, brokers and wealth managers. Of the 270 million shares sold in the offer, eight million have been allocated to retail investors.For Ferrao, the listing is intended to be a beginning rather than a destination.The company plans to build what he described as Africa’s leading digital financial services platform, connecting more individuals and businesses to the formal financial system.In a statement, he also acknowledged the role of customers, employees, agents, partners, governments and central banks in supporting the business and advancing financial inclusion across its markets.Story continues below this adAirtel Money, its directors and selling shareholders will also face restrictions on share disposals following admission.The company and selling shareholders will be subject to 180-day lock-up periods, while directors will be subject to 365-day restrictions, subject to specified exceptions and permitted waivers.The London listing marks a significant milestone for Airtel Money as it seeks to translate its established presence in African mobile financial services into a publicly valued digital finance business. Its longer-term prospects will depend on its ability to expand access, deepen customer adoption and convert the growing use of digital financial services into sustainable business growth.