In a bold move, South Africa unveils plans from its 2024 budget to revolutionize digital payments, focusing on the integration of stablecoins and blockchain. The treasury's initiative aims to uplift marginalized communities, with potential policy changes and a collaborative effort with Switzerland for innovative digital payment pilot projects.

Kenyan IT professionals are calling for the rejection of the 2023 Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Society Bill, citing concerns of inadequate stakeholder consultation. The proposed legislation, seeking to penalize unlicensed entities with fines and potential prison sentences, faces criticism for its alleged focus on regulating robotics rather than addressing broader AI concerns.

Dive into the future of digital currencies as Circle's USD Coin (USDC) takes a bold step, launching natively on the Celo blockchain. This dynamic collaboration enhances real-world use cases for Celo and widens the reach of Circle's USDC, fostering financial inclusivity in regions with burgeoning blockchain adoption. 🌍💱

Unleashing the full potential of Web3 in Africa encounters regulatory uncertainties, hindering progress. Cartesi's advocate underscores the need for clearer regulations, improved digital literacy, and infrastructure upgrades. Can Africa overcome these hurdles and embrace the transformative power of decentralized technologies? 🚀💻

Dive into the dynamic landscape of Africa's cryptocurrency evolution in 2023, witnessing pivotal initiatives and regulatory shifts across nations. From South Africa's progressive regulations to Nigeria's thriving adoption, explore the continent's journey in shaping the future of digital assets.

Kenya moves closer to regulating cryptocurrencies as securities, as the Capital Markets (Amendment) Bill successfully passes the Finance and National Planning Committee. The bill proposes capital gains tax on crypto assets, aiming to govern the burgeoning crypto market and address concerns related to crime and terrorism financing.

Embarking on a mission to boost Bitcoin education in Africa, Trezor introduces the Trezor Academy during the Africa Bitcoin Conference. The academy aims to empower local communities with in-person meetups and insights from Bitcoin experts, reinforcing the cryptocurrency's potential.

The CEO and co-founder of neobank Canza Finance claims that utilizing Baki for foreign exchange trades in Africa creates a hub for African businesses to participate in intra-African and FX trades at a reduced cost.

Explore the partnership between Ripple and Onafriq aiming to revolutionize cross-border payments, connecting 27 African nations with Australia, the UK, and the Gulf region for faster and more affordable transactions.

The Kenyan government plans to roll out its digital identification system in December 2023 after the testing period, which will take a couple of months.

A parliamentary committee in Kenya’s government tasked with investigating Worldcoin has recommended that regulators shut down the project’s operations in the country.

The web platform Opera revealed its plans to launch a non-custodial stablecoin wallet integrated into its mobile web browser which will be made available to its user base in Africa. On Sept. 13, the web services provider introduced the MiniPay wallet integration, built on the Celo blockchain, that allows users in Africa to send or receive stablecoins by using their already existing mobile numbers.

Many people have called for Nigeria and Africa to incorporate blockchain technology into daily life; however, poverty must first be conquered before blockchain technology can be properly integrated into society, according to GT Igwe Chrisent, the CEO of SumoTrust, an online savings and investment platform; and Truzact, a crypto wallet.

As part of the acquisition, Qala rebrands as the ₿trust Builders Programme and aims to drive the development and education across the Global South. ₿trust, a non-profit organization funded by Twitter (now X) co-founder and Bitcoin BTC tickers down $25,713 advocate Jack Dorsey, is scaling up its programs in Africa with a new acquisition.

The African continent is considered a significant market for crypto adoption due to its youthful population, flawed economic management by governments, and inadequate financial infrastructure for internal and global connectivity.

Bitcoin BTC (tickers down) $26,153 adoption in West Africa is dominated by Nigeria, the crypto powerhouse and the region’s economic engine. But against a backdrop of anti-French sentiment, Bitcoin educational efforts are also bubbling away in French-speaking West Africa.

Somalia has shut down crypto-friendly messaging app Telegram and gambling site 1XBet, while cryptocurrency investments aren’t banned. Somalia’s Ministry of Communications and Technology (MOCT) officially announced on Aug. 20 that the government is shutting down Telegram, TikTok and 1XBet.

Commodity tokenization would enable African countries — such as Ghana and Botswana — an opportunity to empower themselves without relying on international aid. In my youth, amid Ghana’s cocoa farms, I walked with my grandfather, a soldier turned farmer. He shared how these beans fueled our nation’s pride and economy. As the digital age unfurls, I often wonder: Could the modern marvel of crypto tokenization be the change my grandfather and countless cocoa farmers need?

Physical and digital gold tokens have been a big success as investments and an inflation hedge in Zimbabwe, which continues to face triple-digit inflation. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) expects to launch its gold-backed digital token (GBDT) for retail use soon, the RBZ has stated. This follows the token’s success with investors, which the bank described as “commendable” in a recent report.

In the latest Cointelegraph Report, we analyzed the privacy and ethical concerns around Worldcoin, currently among the most controversial cryptocurrency projects, and assessed its potential to disrupt the AI era.

Blockchains’ tracing capacities can help certify that crops weren’t grown by razing woodlands or harvested with child labor. Small farmers in the developing world may be on the cusp of an agricultural breakthrough. With emerging technologies like satellite imagery, drones and machine learning boosting productivity, it’s becoming more viable than ever to sell their produce in places like Western Europe.

The Namibian government officially signed a law to regulate Virtual Asset Service Providers operating in the country last week, reversing its original 2017 decision to ban cryptocurrency exchanges.

Despite the former governor’s ousting nearly two months ago, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) continues to be committed to its central bank digital currency (CBDC) project, showing no indications of abandoning it. According to a report by local news outlet The Sun, the central bank recently enhanced the CBDC mobile app by incorporating Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. This upgrade enables mobile devices and payment terminals to interact when in close proximity, facilitating convenient and contactless eNaira payments.

Namibia has joined other African nations in embracing cryptocurrencies and digital assets by approving a bill in the National Assembly. The bill, which passed Namibia’s lower house of parliament on June 22, aims to regulate digital assets, cryptocurrencies and virtual asset service providers (VASPs) in the country.

While many investors in the West look to crypto to speculate on the next biggest trend, blockchain technology is actually solving “real-world problems” in Africa, such as hyperinflation and “corruption,” executives told Cointelegraph.

World Mobile announces the completion of DeWi technology field tests in Kenya, Mozambique and Nigeria, bringing a full African rollout one step closer.

Tanzania gets a local crypto exchange to provide fiat off-ramp for crypto donations.

The central bank released its statement in response to comments on a CBDC discussion paper published in February 2022.

The Central African Republic (CAR) has received optimism from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) one year since it adopted Bitcoin BTC $26,283. The IMF’s positive outlook reflects the country’s economic prospects and the impact of embracing the leading cryptocurrency.

The Kenyan government has inked a deal with Abu Dhabi-based blockchain platform Venom Foundation to launch a blockchain and Web3 hub in Africa.

Nigeria’s securities regulator will take at least 10 months to determine whether to register a digital asset-related company.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe plans to introduce a gold-backed digital currency as legal tender in a bid to stabilize its local currency.

Africa witnessed a 429% YoY increase in venture funding in 2022, with the majority of funding coming from Seychelles and South Africa.

DeFi-based financial inclusion serves to increase liquidity and earning opportunities for African micro-entrepreneurs through Fonbnk’s partnership with Tanda.

The Bitcoin gaming economy gets a boost from Zebedee’s expansion into Africa, complementing its Brazil and Philippines operations.

Crypto P2P users in Nigeria worry over using various platforms to transfer funds as the country’s central bank cracks down on bank accounts that received a share of Flutterwave’s rumored stolen funds.

Nearly 18 months after launching its in-house central bank digital currency (CBDC), the eNaira, Nigeria is seeing increased adoption in the CBDC as national fiat reserves face severe shortages.

Cassava Network’s recent v3 product launch allows Africa’s Web2 users to get onboarded to Web3 while earning rewards and increasing their income.

The Bank of Zambia and the country’s securities regulator are collaborating on digital infrastructure and a policy framework for crypto.

Grocery retailer Pick n Pay is now accepting Bitcoin payments via the Lightning Network nationwide following a three-month testing phase.

The Virunga National Park's Bitcoin mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo monetizes surplus energy for conservation efforts.

The price of Bitcoin BTC tickers down $23,151 in Nigeria has skyrocketed to well above global market levels amid continued efforts by the central bank to push its citizens into digitalized cash.

A Bitcoin mining project in a remote corner of Malawi, a landlocked country in southeastern Africa, connects more families to the grid while delivering economic empowerment to an impoverished region.

A 15-member committee is tasked with working on a legal framework that will allow cryptocurrencies to operate in Central African Republic and expedite the development of the national economy.

Mobile games publisher Carry1st has closed a $27 million funding round to advance its publishing and digital content creation platform in Africa — a region its backers say is ripe for Web3 adoption.

The move allows Roqqu to operate in 30 countries and broaden its services within one of the world’s largest crypto markets.

The Lightning Network has struck the earth in one of the most challenging operating environments. Lagos, the capital of Nigeria — Africa’s most populous country — welcomed a new Bitcoin Lightning Network (LN) node this week, a vital step to better connect the continent to the layer-2 payments network that sits atop Bitcoin.

The Central African Republic adopted Bitcoin and swiftly created its own token, Sango Coin. But where did Sango Coin come from, and why is it necessary?

While regulations were once seen as hurdles to crypto adoption, they are now perceived as the fastest way to attain global mainstream adoption.

The bill, which should be introduced to public discussion in the following days, will legally define crypto in the fast-growing market.

Is Bitcoin really bringing freedom to the world? Experts discussed the complexities of using Bitcoin as a tool for emancipation at a panel at Pacific Bitcoin.

The Central African Republic has announced it will delay the listing of cryptocurrency, Sango Coin, on crypto exchanges due to current market conditions and marketing reasons. The update was revealed in Sango’s Telegram group.

CoinCorner and Bitnob teamed up to create cross-border transactions between the UK and Europe to Africa via the Bitcoin Lightning Network.

A hydro-powered crypto mining project based in Africa released an update on its efforts to bring energy developments to rural communities via Bitcoin BTC tickers down $17,115. On Dec. 9, Gridless Compute tweeted photos and commentary on how their hydro-power BTC mining rigs are powering an entire rural settlement while also lowering energy rates for 2,000 people, the equivalent to 500 families. According to the tweet, costs decrease from $10 per month to $4.

The Lightning Network has struck Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria. During a conference in Ghana, Strike CEO Jack Mallers announced that the Bitcoin BTC tickers down $16,993 payments company has partnered with the mobile app Bitnob to facilitate payments into Africa.

Nigerian customers of the crypto exchange AAX stormed the company’s office in Lagos and harassed its employees after the exchange halted withdrawals, according to a Dec. 3 report by a leading Nigerian news website.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is calling for increased regulation of Africa’s crypto markets, one of the fastest-growing markets in the world, the global institution blog reported on Nov. 22.

A survey of the continent’s central banks shows optimism about greater efficiency and inclusion, but several drawbacks remain; Nigeria already has an operational retail CBDC.

Founders of Bitcoin Beach El Salavdor, Bitcoin Ekasi in South africa, Dakar Bitcoin Days in Senegal and Global Bitcoin Fest shed light on building Bitcoin communities around the world.

A new blockchain body has been launched with the backing of industry leaders in the Middle East region including figures from Binance, Crypto.com and the largest crypto exchange in the region.

Cointelegraph hit the gym with Ray Youssef, co-founder and CEO of Paxful, to tackle Bitcoin adoption in the Global South. In between sets and a little out of breath, Youssef told Cointelegraph, “The Global South is where we should be looking” for Bitcoin BTC tickers down$20,110 adoption.

Pick n Pay, one of South Africa’s largest supermarket chains, is set to allow its customers to pay for items in all its stores using Bitcoin BTC tickers down $20,405. According to South African-based tech news outlet Tech Central, Pick N Pay is planning to roll out its cryptocurrency payments service to its stores nationwide in the coming months after years of experimentation in select stores. The supermarket chain allegedly started experimenting with Bitcoin payments five years ago in Cape Town but was stymied by expensive costs and long transaction wait times.

Some 2 million users in Nigeria and Kenya are set to be onboarded to a new cryptocurrency wallet backed by the likes of Coinbase Ventures and Alameda Research.

Yellow Card CEO said that the Botswana VASP license is the first license for African crypto exchanges established by an African country.

As emerging markets take the lead in crypto adoption, Ghana, a country located in West Africa, may soon catch up to other African countries regarding cryptocurrency use. In a report released by blockchain analytics platform Chainalysis, researchers found that Ghana has the potential to achieve crypto adoption levels similar to Kenya and Nigeria, countries which ranked 11th and 19th in the analytics firm’s global crypto adoption index.

As more countries make progress in terms of developing and implementing central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), Ghana’s central bank aims to keep up and complete its research on CBDCs with the goal of financial inclusion, according to Kwame Oppong, the head of fintech and innovation at the Bank of Ghana.

The African continent has emerged as a hotbed for crypto and blockchain activity, with countries like Nigeria and Ethiopia leading the way. Web3 payments platform Fuse has partnered with ChromePay, an identity-based payment solution, to launch a new suite of payment products in Africa — a move designed to boost financial inclusion on the continent.

The proposed partnership aims to build a crypto-friendly digital city similar to the virtual free zone in Dubai. The Nigerian government has held a preliminary meeting with crypto exchange Binance to potentially establish a special economic zone aimed at supporting crypto and blockchain-related businesses.

Web3 users will soon be able to experience Africa, Costa Rica and Ukraine in the Metaverse, as organizations recreate virtual environments with a purpose. The Metaverse is quickly becoming one of the most important places for companies and individuals looking to expand their reach. New findings from research firm MarketsandMarkets predict that the Metaverse market size will grow from $61.8 billion in 2022 to $426.9 billion by 2027.

The Springbok captain features in a new advertising campaign promoting a long-term attitude towards cryptocurrency investing in South Africa.

Nigerian Central Bank governor Godwin Emefiele told attendees at the eNaira Hackathon that technical upgrades will add to the attractiveness and accessibility of the CBDC. The eNaira, Nigeria’s central bank digital currency (CBDC), will enter the second phase of its expansion with new technology to beef up its user base, Nigerian Central Bank governor Godwin Emefiele said Thursday, speaking at the 2022 eNaira Hackathon in Abuja. The eNaira, Africa’s first CBDC, was launched in October 2021.

The Bank of Central African States, or Banque des États de l'Afrique, which serves Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo, could be closer to releasing a central bank digital currency reportedly at the urging of its board.

Allen Wei, CEO of crypto exchange LBank, told Cointelegraph that blockchain could contribute to the creation of a robust economy in Africa. As one of the most populated continents, Africa continues to be an important target for blockchain proponents, as adoption in the region could significantly impact the broader crypto economy.

Cryptocurrency is gaining popularity in Africa, and more celebrities are engaging. What are the potential impacts of this new phenomenon? African degens are on a journey to the moon. With crypto, African people’s savings are hedged against insane inflation levels, they can find employment in Web3, and there is always the potential to make life-changing money that will transform the trajectory of their lives forever.

African mobile banking platform Aella has partnered with Creditcoin Network to make credit histories transparent by integrating all its transactions into Creditcoin’s public blockchain.

The Sango project’s plans include building a "legal crypto hub," expanding the adoption of Bitcoin, and creating a “crypto island” — a special economic zone in the metaverse.

These are fraught times for the cryptocurrency and blockchain sector, so it isn’t surprising that industry proponents might seize upon any promising news to help charge flagging markets. A Reuters report out of Uganda last week about a massive gold ore discovery supplied just this kind of fuel.

A young Zimbabwean Bitcoiner built out a business with Bitcoin — importing cars and sending remittance payments — when he returned to his homeland during the COVID-19 pandemic. An entrepreneur who first learned of Bitcoin while living in the United States, Ovidy has since built a business with Bitcoin at its core.

In Ghana, only 57.7% of adults have a bank account in 2021. Because they can't afford to participate in the official financial system, the poor end up paying the most for basic financial services. Moreover, there is a multiplier effect inherent with the economic engagement of women that has wide-ranging effects respecting a number of SDGs.

The bank advised the Blockchain Association of Uganda (BAU) to improve its understanding of the sandbox regulations by inviting its members to technical discussions. The Bank of Uganda is open to cryptocurrency businesses participating in its Regulatory Sandbox, and has invited members of the Blockchain Association of Uganda (BAU) to share their expertise with the central bank. A letter dated June 1 from the bank to the BAU's chairperson, Kwame Rungunda, mentioned a meeting between the two parties in early May.

The Central African Republic (CAR) has stated that it will move on with its ambitious Sango Project, which will tokenize access to the country's enormous natural resources. The advantages of introducing Bitcoin as legal cash in the CAR have been questioned due to the country's fragile situation and low level of development.

The Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Awareness Tour (BCAT), which will take place in June, is a Binance-backed continuous awareness campaign that has been sharing knowledge and attempting to build a strong crypto community across Africa. The accelerating adoption of digital assets in Africa has attracted the interest of various corporations and organizations eager to participate in this booming sector, with a 1,200 percent rise in received crypto volume between 2020 and 2021.

While many people around the globe struggle to make ends meet, many of them will soon have the opportunity to participate in the digital economy. Individuals are limited to the most basic forms of transactions when they employ liquid money. By facilitating micro- and nano-payments, a CBDC would let people to enter the digital economy and offer new business ideas. Central bank digital currency (CBDC) will be used for a variety of purposes in various locations.

The World Bank stated in a statement that it would be "physically impossible" for it to fund the Sango project and that it disapproved of the CAR's usage of Bitcoin: "We are concerned about transparency, as well as the possible risks to financial inclusion, the banking system, and public money in general, as well as environmental issues." The World Bank announced a $35 million grant on May 5 to update and digitize the existing public financial management system, including improving digital bank payments.

After approving Bitcoin as a legal tender, the Central African Republic local government is currently on the move to provide the digital currency infrastructure needed. The forthcoming launch of the country's first big crypto initiative, called "Sango." was announced in a tweet by CAR president Faustin-Archange. Moreover, the Sango platform is billed as CAR's "first crypto project" and is named after the country's second national language, following French.

According to a new report by blockchain investment firm Crypto Valley Venture Capital (CV VC) and Standard Bank titled "The African Blockchain Report 2021," blockchain startups raised 💲 91 million in the first quarter of 2022, more venture funding flowed into the continent in Q1 2022 than in Q1 2021. Moreover, venture capital firms have put 💲23 million into the Mara crypto trading platform.

A class of 2021 Bitcoiner in Mozambique is using the Lightning Network to transact while using Bitcoin to protect his savings.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is moving ahead with plans to upgrade the country’s central bank digital currency (CBDC) to be used on a wider range of goods and services.

Africa’s top golfers are set to receive Bitcoin prize money after ground-breaking sponsorship of the Sunshine Tour.

The African nation will reportedly join a short list of countries to adopt cryptocurrency as legal tender. The roughly five million residents of the Central African Republic, or CAR, will now reportedly be able to use Bitcoin in addition to the country's franc as legal tender.

After raising $250 million from a host of mainstream entities such as Huobi, Kucoin and MEXC, TON’s recent global adoption seems to be rapidly increasing.

Russia should deploy cryptocurrencies and CBDCs for settlement and payments with Africa, the president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry believes.