Stablecoins dominate Africa's crypto market, surpassing CBDCs

Nigeria’s Digital Currency 2.0: From Experiment to Global Utility 🌍💱 When the Central Bank of Nigeria first launched the eNaira in 2021, it was hailed as Africa’s boldest step into central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). Yet, adoption lagged. By 2023, only 0.5% of Nigerians actively used the eNaira, overshadowed by booming crypto activity where Nigeria ranked 11th globally in digital asset adoption. But here’s where the story turns. Earlier this year, regulators began reimagining the eNaira—not as a closed-loop currency, but as a bridge to stablecoins and cross-border payments. The aim? To integrate with regulated stablecoins like USDT/USDC while embedding cross-border utility for remittances—a market worth over $20 billion annually for Nigeria alone. The shift matters. In a country where 65% of adults are unbanked or underbanked, remittance flows are lifelines. Yet, high fees from traditional money transfer operators eat away at hard-earned income. By tying the eNaira to stablecoin rails, Nigeria could leapfrog legacy systems and bring near-instant, low-cost transfers to millions. Imagine this: a trader in Lagos receiving payment from a partner in London in seconds, with settlement on blockchain rails, but secured under Nigeria’s regulatory framework. That’s not just digital currency. That’s financial infrastructure transformation. Of course, challenges remain. Trust in institutions is fragile. Tech literacy is uneven. Stablecoin integration requires airtight safeguards to prevent illicit use. But for the first time since launch, the eNaira is not just a digital copy of the naira—it’s becoming a strategic instrument for competitiveness in the global economy. If Nigeria succeeds, it sets a precedent for other emerging markets wrestling with the balance between regulation, innovation, and financial inclusion. Digital money 2.0 isn’t about replacing banks. It’s about rebuilding trust and utility in ways that make sense for everyday people. #DigitalCurrency #Nigeria #Fintech #Blockchain #FinancialInclusion #Stablecoins #Innovation

“Regulation has never kept anyone safe…” That line from Ray Youssef, CEO of NoOnes, hits differently when you realise Sub-Saharan Africa moved over US$54 billion in stablecoins between mid-2024 and mid-2025, part of more than US$200 billion in total on-chain value, according to Mariblock (Oct 2025). Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya led this growth, showing how digital currencies are being used not for speculation but as practical tools to move value across borders and hedge against local currency volatility. Despite the scale of activity, infrastructure and regulation still lag. Traditional banks and payment processors have yet to integrate crypto rails, and regulatory frameworks remain inconsistent. Stablecoins are already filling a real financial gap in Africa, lowering transfer costs and improving access, but the question now is whether this adoption will evolve into durable financial infrastructure or remain at the margins of the formal economy. Image Credit: Mariblock📄 Source:https://lnkd.in/dFmJPFA3?

🪙𝑪𝒓𝒚𝒑𝒕𝒐 & 𝑹𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝑨𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂: 𝑭𝒂𝒔𝒕, 𝑨𝒇𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆, 𝑰𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆 💸 ⚡Sending money across African borders has always been slow, expensive, and frustrating. 📲But cryptocurrencies are changing the game, making remittances faster, cheaper, and more accessible. 📈𝑩𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝑱𝒖𝒍𝒚 2024 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑱𝒖𝒏𝒆 2025, 𝒐𝒏-𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒄𝒓𝒚𝒑𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝑺𝒖𝒃-𝑺𝒂𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒏 𝑨𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂 𝒋𝒖𝒎𝒑𝒆𝒅 52%, 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 $205 𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒂, 𝑲𝒆𝒏𝒚𝒂, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒉 𝑨𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚. How it works: 1️⃣ Convert: The sender converts local currency (KES, TZS, NGN) into crypto or stablecoin. 2️⃣ Send: Crypto is transferred directly to the recipient’s digital wallet. 3️⃣ Receive: Recipient converts it back to local currency if needed. ✅ Transactions settle in minutes, bypassing expensive intermediaries. Why crypto matters for African remittances: ⚡ Cut costs & save time: Fees can drop up to 60%. 🌐 Financial inclusion: Millions of unbanked Africans can send and receive money with just a phone. 🛡️ Inflation protection: Stablecoins and Bitcoin help shield remittances from currency swings. 🔗 Decentralized transfers: Peer-to-peer networks bypass traditional delays. 💳 Everyday adoption: Small transactions and P2P trading show crypto is already in use. Challenges to watch: ⚖️ Fragmented regulations make scaling tricky. 🕵️♂️ Crypto can be misused for financial crime. 📉 Volatility still matters, though stablecoins reduce risk. 🌍 Poor internet and limited digital skills slow adoption. 🛡️ Consumer protection frameworks are emerging, but gaps remain. 🪙Crypto remittances in Africa are growing fast, and as technology matures, they’ll help build a more resilient, inclusive digital economy. #CryptoAfrica #Remittances #FinancialInclusion #Blockchain #FintechAfrica #Stablecoins #DigitalFinance #Innovation #AfricaRising #CrossBorderPayments

𝐁𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐂𝐫𝐲𝐩𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝟑𝟎+ 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 ; 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐚𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 Binance has announced a major expansion across over 30 African nations, making it easier than ever for users to buy, sell, and trade crypto using local currencies and familiar payment methods. Through partnerships with Mobile Money, BPay, Wave, and other local financial service providers, users in Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and more can now access digital assets directly through bank transfers, card payments, and mobile money. 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: ▪︎ Expands support to 30+ African countries ▪︎Integrates local currencies including KES, XOF, XAF, UGX, and TZS ▪︎One Click Buy & Sell (OCBS) feature is now available. ▪︎Enables peer-to-peer trading with zero transaction fees on select assets Binance’s localized solutions are helping small businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals access faster payments, affordable remittances, and borderless commerce opportunities. 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲: https://lnkd.in/dMbe-rbi

𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮’𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲: 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮’𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸? 🇳🇬💰 CBN Governor drops major announcement at World Bank meetings: 📊 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀: — $59B in crypto transactions (Jul 2023-Jun 2024) — 2nd globally after India — Stablecoins = 40% of Nigeria’s crypto market — 22M Nigerians (10.3%) own/use crypto by 2025 🎯 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: — Working group formed (CBN + Ministry of Finance) — Evaluating national stablecoin framework — Guidelines for issuance, conversion, regulation — Building on eNaira launch (Africa’s first CBDC, 2021) 💡 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘄: Fintech companies need stablecoins for cross-border payments and to reduce USD dependence. CBN wants innovation WITHOUT losing monetary control. 🌍 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗰𝘁: — Boost fintech growth — Safeguard monetary sovereignty — Prevent capital control circumvention — Could follow Singapore/Dubai hybrid model If successful, Nigeria becomes first major African economy with clear stablecoin regulations. Others watching closely. The future: Regulate, don’t ban. Control, don’t kill innovation. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/d5BTRdD4 #Nigeria #Stablecoins #Crypto #Fintech #Regulation

RLUSD in Africa: Ripple & VALR Leading Financial Change! 🔥 Sending money home or saving should be simple. But across Africa, it’s slow, expensive, and risky. Remittances lose nearly 10% in fees. Savings vanish overnight due to inflation. Millions remain without bank accounts, forced to carry cash and face daily uncertainty. Enter Ripple and RLUSD. Ripple’s USD-backed stablecoin, RLUSD, is now in Africa—partnering with VALR, Chipper Cash, and Yellow Card —to make finance: • Fast: Transactions settle in seconds. • Affordable: Fees drop dramatically. • Accessible: No middlemen, no red tape, direct access to global finance. VALR, Africa’s largest crypto exchange, is key—over 1.3 million users can now access RLUSD for both personal and business needs. This is a trusted digital dollar, reliable, compliant, and ready for real-world use. Real Impact Beyond Payments Ripple is powering solutions like instant insurance for farmers in Kenya. When extreme weather hits, smart contracts release payouts within hours, not weeks. RLUSD creates resilience networks where traditional banks can’t reach. Africa’s financial future won’t run on legacy systems. It will run on blockchain rails that solve real problems, in real time. With Ripple and VALR, RLUSD is more than a stablecoin—it’s financial freedom, stability, and inclusion for millions. 🚀 #Ripple #VALR #XRP #AFRICA #SouthAfrica #Crypto #Blockchain

PART 2 | #Stablecoins in Action – How Digital Currency is Improving Daily Life Across Africa In Part 1 of this series by Binance, titled: ‘From Cola to School Fees: All You Need to Know to Join the Rise of #Stablecoins in Africa,’ we looked at how stablecoins are moving from speculation to daily life across Africa. “Africa is ready to move beyond outdated banking infrastructures and actively embrace stablecoins as a foundation for more inclusive, accessible, and efficient financial systems. Financial tools must serve the people who need them most,” Says Larry Cooke at #BinanceAfrica. “Stablecoins are doing that across Africa while empowering users, reducing costs, and unlocking new economic opportunities.” In the second installment of its educational stablecoin series, Binance is spotlighting the real-world benefits of stablecoins for everyday people in the continent. https://lnkd.in/dm2qgTbh

𝗜𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝘆𝗽𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗢𝘄𝗻 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗹 🚨 The latest data shows that #stablecoin transfer volumes hit $15.6 trillion in Q3 2025 alone. While a large portion is driven by #trading bots, analysts agree that retail adoption is climbing at a record pace. At the same time, Chainalysis’ 2025 Global Crypto Adoption Index revealed that Nigeria ranked 6th globally, a clear signal that ordinary citizens, not just institutions, are leading the way in using Bitcoin and crypto for real-world needs. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐁𝐞 𝐈𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 For #governments and #policymakers, this is no longer a fringe conversation. The numbers tell a simple story: #crypto is not just speculation, it’s becoming infrastructure. Retail adoption is growing because crypto solves real-world problems like #inflation, #currency volatility, and access to cross-border payments. Governments that resist are not slowing adoption; they’re simply pushing it into informal channels, losing oversight, #tax revenues, and economic participation in the process. Financial exclusion is at risk of widening if regulators fail to embrace the technology that their citizens already use daily. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 🌍 I am so impressed with the direction #Nigerian policy makers are taking aw regards crypto. We need to see more of this across the #continent. #Africa has some of the world’s youngest, fastest-growing #populations, yet still suffers from fragmented payment systems, unstable local currencies, and high #remittance costs. #Bitcoin and stablecoins are uniquely positioned to fix this: 👉They offer #instant, #borderless #payments. 👉They preserve value against inflation. 👉They expand access for anyone with a #smartphone. Ignoring this momentum could mean missing out on one of the biggest financial transformations of our lifetime, one that Africans are already embracing. 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐮𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐡 This is exactly why we are building #TravuCash. A platform that allows you to pay in NGN and other African currencies directly with #Bitcoin and crypto, without needing to sell your assets first. Our mission is to bridge the gap between the crypto world and everyday payments, empowering Africans to transact seamlessly whether they’re traveling, running a business, or sending money home. 💡 Final Thought The future is clear, crypto adoption is rising, and Africa is at the forefront and needs to this process across the continent. #Crypto #Bitcoin #Stablecoins #Africa #TravuCash #Cashwyre #Fintech #DirtyDecember #Uptober ****** Founder of #TravuCash, a platform that enables you to make instant local payments using #crypto. With our optional #SpendAndSave feature, every transaction automatically saves BTC or USD savings for you, while you spend seamlessly across the African continent.

🚨 South Africa Could Miss the Future of Money While countries like Nigeria already have a digital currency (the eNaira), South Africa is still testing the idea of a Digital Rand. Yet, here’s the reality: 💰 Nearly 47% of South Africans already use crypto in some form. 📉 We could be losing hundreds of millions in tax revenue due to slow regulation. ⚙️ The Reserve Bank’s pilot shows digital money can make payments faster, safer, and more inclusive. But we’re stuck between innovation and hesitation. Digital currency isn’t just “crypto hype” — it’s the next evolution of our economy. It can connect township entrepreneurs, reduce bank fees, and empower small businesses to trade globally. South Africa doesn’t need to watch the world digitize — we need to lead it. The future of money must include everyone, or it will fail everyone. #DigitalRand #Fintech #Crypto #AI #SouthAfrica #FutureOfMoney #Innovation #DigitalEconomy

Kenyans transferred Sh426 billion ($3.3 billion) in stablecoin transactions in 2024, ranking fourth in Africa, according to Chainalysis. The surge reflects growing use of USD-backed digital assets like USDT and USDC by cross-border traders, multinationals, and the diaspora for remittances, trade settlements, and value storage. This marks a shift toward digital dollarization, as users seek faster, cheaper, and more reliable payments amid shilling depreciation. Stablecoins enable instant global transfers, reducing dependence on costly correspondent banking and traditional remittance channels. For Kenya, this signals the rise of a crypto-driven financial ecosystem, pressuring banks and fintechs to integrate blockchain payment rails while regulators grapple with AML/KYC and currency control issues. Regionally, it positions Kenya as a digital finance leader in East Africa. Stablecoins can enhance EAC cross-border trade, align with the EAC Payment System Masterplan (2025), and promote financial interoperability. However, they also raise concerns over capital flight, regulatory gaps, and dollar dependence. Overall, Kenya’s growing stablecoin use reflects a broader African shift toward blockchain-based finance, offering efficiency and inclusion—but demanding urgent policy, infrastructure, and compliance responses to harness the opportunity responsibly. #digitalfinance #DigitalEconomy #cryptocurrency #stablecoins #FinTech