If I run an online service connecting the U.S. with Africa, do I need a separate money-transmitter license in each U.S. state?

No. As a company based out of Africa, you do not need to have money transmitter licenses, nor would you (perhaps) qualify for such. What is required that you be registered with FinCEN (see link below). However, to legally do business in the US, you would need to work with...

1. A federally chartered bank (which has money transmission exemption)
2. A Licensed Money Transmitter (in all the States from which you will be sourcing your transactions from).

Depending on the arrangement, you enter into a Correspondent agreement or be on-boarded as an Agent with the licensed money transmitter.

Without having an association with a licensed money transmitter, you cannot do remittance transfers to/from the United States.

• FIN-2012-A001