Report: Africa Fintech Startups Raised $2 Billion in 2021

Africa’s fintech startups are reported to have raised $2 billion in the past year alone. This amount dwarfs the $231 million that was raised in the year 2020. Nigerian startups continue to account for the biggest share of funds raised by the continent’s fintechs in 2021. 2021 Has Highest Number of Reported Deals The capital … Read more

Report: Kenya Set to Scale Up Adoption of Cryptocurrencies in 2022

In his Africa crypto market predictions for 2022, Marius Reitz, the general manager for Luno in Africa, has predicted that Kenya will scale up the adoption of cryptocurrencies. To support this assertion, Reitz points to Kenya’s as position as the leader in the world’s peer-to-peer (P2P) traded volumes for the second year running. Kenya’s Booming … Read more

Ghana’s Minority Lawmakers Reject Government Proposal to Tax Mobile Money Transactions

The Ghanaian government’s proposal to introduce a 1.75% levy on digital transactions was recently rejected by a minority of lawmakers who insist the new tax derails efforts to help increase the number of adults that are financially included. The Digital Transactions Tax A minority of lawmakers in the Ghana legislature recently rejected a government proposal … Read more

Remittances to Africa Set to Drop by 5.4 % to $41 Billion — Covid-19 Pandemic and High Sending Costs Blamed

According to findings from the Continental Migration Report 2021, remittances to African countries are projected to decrease from the $44 billion recorded in 2020 to $41 billion. The Covid Effect As expected, the Covid-19 pandemic is identified as one of the main causes of the decline. However, despite this projected 5.4 per cent drop, a … Read more

Study Shows 36% of Nigerian Adults Are Financially Excluded — Digital Financial Services Bolsters Inclusion

Nearly 36% of Nigeria’s 106 million adults lack access to both regulated and unregulated financial services, according to the findings of the Enhancing Financial Innovations and Access (EFIA) study. In addition, while the findings do suggest a marginal drop in the percentage of financially excluded adults in the past few years, overall “the actual number … Read more

Zimbabwe’s Biggest Bank Looks at Methods to ‘Leverage Cryptocurrencies’

One of Zimbabwe’s biggest financial institutions, CBZ Holdings says it is looking at ways it could “leverage cryptocurrencies and other emerging digital innovations.” According to the financial institution’s chairperson, Marc Holtzman, CBZ “is open-minded about new innovations, as these could open up new opportunities going forward.” Innovations Opening up New Markets Speaking in an interview … Read more

Historian Niall Ferguson Says Bitcoin Is Winning the Covid-19 Monetary Revolution

Historian and senior fellow with the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, Niall Ferguson says bitcoin is winning the Covid-19 monetary revolution. Hailing the virtual currency as a great place for the rich to store their wealth, Ferguson also notes that the bitcoin’s resilience has forced critics as well as institutional investors to alter their views … Read more

Zimbabwe’s Mobile Money on Life Support as Central Bank Tightens Screws: Restrictions to Affect P2P Bitcoin Trading

Zimbabwe’s Mobile Money Operators (MMO) say they will comply with the latest directive by the central bank to shutdown mobile money agents. In addition, the MMOs will also limit mobile money transactions to $50 (Zwl $5,000) per day while users are now restricted to one mobile money account per person. The directive went into effect … Read more

New Demand for Cryptocurrencies: Trading on Bitcoin Cash KYC-Free Exchange With Blind Escrow

Governments are injecting record levels of new money into economies to contain the impact of shutdowns. Restrictions imposed on people in countries all over the world have forced many to look for alternative but safe ways of transacting. This is one reason why blind escrow bitcoin cash trading is increasing: it is not burdening users … Read more