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Africa Tops Global Stablecoin Adoption, Leapfrogging Digital Finance
Africa Tops Global Stablecoin Adoption, Leapfrogging Digital Finance
Sputnik Africa
On Africa’s busy payment networks, where money still moves through intermediaries with processing charges, stablecoins are racing in like a digital highway... 14.09.2025, Sputnik Africa
2025-09-14T13:06+0200
2025-09-14T13:06+0200
2025-09-14T13:06+0200
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Africa Tops Global Stablecoin Adoption, Leapfrogging Digital Finance
Sputnik Africa
On Africa’s busy payment networks, where money still moves through intermediaries with processing charges, stablecoins are racing in like a digital highway. Could they help nations escape US dollar dependence, stabilize currencies, and streamline cross-border payments?
Stablecoin adoption is soaring, reaching an impressive 6.7 percent of GDP in 2024, one of the highest rates worldwide, an IMF's recent study says. Africa is at the heart of this trend, with over 138 million transactions totaling more than US $2 trillion. While the continent’s absolute volumes are smaller than in North America or Asia, its activity is remarkably significant relative to the size of its economy. Most transactions crossed borders, with 14 percent remaining within the region, showing Africa’s growing role in the global digital finance network. Tether (USDT) led the market with 57.3 percent of flows, followed by Circle’s USDC at 42.7 percent, and Binance dominated exchanges, handling 74.3 percent of the continent’s stablecoin activity. These figures highlight how digital currencies are empowering African markets, driving trade, remittances, and greater financial inclusion across the region.African Currents spoke with Brenton Naicker, Principal and Head of Growth at CV VC, Africa’s leading blockchain-focused early-stage VC fund and accelerator in Cape Town. He shared insights on Africa’s rapid stablecoin adoption, the transformative impact of blockchain on the financial landscape, and the opportunities and challenges this shift brings.Want to hear more from our guest? Catch the full conversation on the African Currents podcast, brought to you by Sputnik Africa.You’ll find our episodes not just on the website, but also on Telegram.► You can also stream our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, Pocket Casts, Afripods, Podcast Addict.► Check out all the episodes of African Currents.
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Africa Tops Global Stablecoin Adoption, Leapfrogging Digital Finance
On Africa’s busy payment networks, where money still moves through intermediaries with processing charges, stablecoins are racing in like a digital highway. Could they help nations escape US dollar dependence, stabilize currencies, and streamline cross-border payments?
Stablecoin adoption is soaring, reaching an impressive 6.7 percent of GDP in 2024, one of the highest rates worldwide, an
IMF's recent study says. Africa is at the heart of this trend, with over 138 million transactions totaling more than US $2 trillion. While the continent’s absolute volumes are smaller than in North America or Asia, its activity is remarkably significant relative to the size of its economy. Most transactions crossed borders, with 14 percent remaining within the region, showing Africa’s growing role in the global digital finance network. Tether (USDT) led the market with 57.3 percent of flows, followed by Circle’s USDC at 42.7 percent, and Binance dominated exchanges, handling 74.3 percent of the continent’s stablecoin activity. These figures highlight how digital currencies are empowering African markets, driving trade, remittances, and greater financial inclusion across the region.
African Currents spoke with Brenton Naicker, Principal and Head of Growth at CV VC, Africa’s leading blockchain-focused early-stage VC fund and accelerator in Cape Town. He shared insights on Africa’s rapid stablecoin adoption, the transformative impact of blockchain on the financial landscape, and the opportunities and challenges this shift brings.
"When it comes to interactions between different economic powers within the African context and how they're being influenced by stablecoins, it's allowing much more fluid movements of capital between different African economies and between different global trading hubs [...] which again improves that capital velocity. It allows money to move quicker and easier between these different regions, which acts as a lubricant for trade because money is just this conduit moving around for goods and services," Naicker noted.
Want to hear more from our guest? Catch the full conversation on the African Currents podcast, brought to you by
Sputnik Africa.You’ll find our episodes not just on the website, but also on
Telegram.► Check out all the episodes of African Currents. 
