Major African Blockchain Trends of 2023, as reported by Mariblock Contributors

In a significant move, Btrust, a non-profit founded by Jack Dorsey and Jay Z, acquired Africa-focused Bitcoin talent firm Qala in September 2022. This acquisition underscores an emerging trend of increased focus on producing more technical talents across the continent, as Africa still lags behind the rest of the world for technical talent in the cryptocurrency industry.

The Qala acquisition will provide a much-needed capital resource to train more Bitcoin developers, a move that is crucial for the continent's growth in the blockchain sector.

In the realm of regulation, 2023 and early 2025 witnessed significant strides. Regulatory advancements in Nigeria and Kenya shaped Africa’s blockchain landscape by creating clearer, more formal frameworks that boosted innovation, investor confidence, and digitization opportunities across the continent.

Kenya, with its high blockchain adoption and $2 billion traded on decentralized platforms in 2023, moved to regulate crypto through its Virtual Asset Service Providers Bill. This legislative effort aims not only to codify transactions but also to explore blockchain’s use in addressing fiscal challenges like national debt by tokenizing financial processes.

In Nigeria, the Central Bank lifted its ban on crypto transactions in late 2023. Subsequently, in March 2025, the government enacted the Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 2025, which officially classified digital assets as "securities," placing regulatory authority with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

These regulatory steps have reduced uncertainty and regulatory friction while encouraging safer and more formalized crypto markets. This has broader implications for Africa by promoting standards, increasing institutional trust, and accelerating blockchain adoption in multiple sectors, including finance and public administration.

The impact of these advancements is a maturing blockchain ecosystem in Africa, marked by stronger governance, improved market confidence, and expanding use cases benefiting economic participation and innovation.

Notable partnerships have also contributed to the growth of the blockchain industry in Africa. In April 2023, TDB, the web3 software development arm of Dorsey's Block Inc., partnered with Yellow Card to facilitate cross-border transactions across 16 African countries. This partnership represents the highest-profile development relating to crypto-based remittance.

Another significant development was the integration of crypto payment options by South African payment gateway Stitch in November 2022. Powered by crypto exchange Valr, this integration includes various crypto assets and signifies a step towards mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies in Africa.

Echo VC launched an $8 million pilot blockchain seed fund called EchoVC Chain in April, focusing on business-to-business infrastructure, decentralized finance (DeFi) and market-making solutions. These initiatives reflect a growing interest in supporting the development of the blockchain ecosystem in Africa.

However, Africa faces the challenge of balancing being a consumer and a builder to reach its potential in the blockchain industry. The lack of regulatory clarity was one of the main challenges faced by the crypto payment service Lazerpay, which shut down in 2023.

To address this issue, talent development projects like Web3Bridge and Aya have received retro funding for their work in the ecosystem. Femi Longe, the program lead at Btrust Builders, stated that there is a shortage of African developers actively engaged with Bitcoin. Initiatives like these are crucial for the continued growth and development of the blockchain industry in Africa.

As we move towards 2024, Africa's technical quota is set to see a sizeable leap, with the continent poised to make significant strides in the blockchain sector. The stories selected by reporters reflect the developments that shaped Africa's blockchain landscape in 2023, including regulatory advancements, integration of crypto payments, and partnerships for cross-border payments. The future looks promising for Africa's blockchain industry.

The acquisition of Qala by Btrust, founded by Jack Dorsey and Jay Z, will aid in training more Bitcoin developers in Africa, crucial for the continent's growth in the blockchain sector.
In 2023 and early 2025, there were significant strides in regulation across Africa, creating clearer frameworks for cryptocurrency industry growth and digitization opportunities.
Kenya's Virtual Asset Service Providers Bill aims to regulate crypto transactions and explore blockchain's use in addressing fiscal challenges like national debt.
Nigeria's Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 2025 classified digital assets as "securities," signifying a step towards safer and more formalized crypto markets in Africa.
Echo VC launched an $8 million blockchain seed fund focusing on business-to-business infrastructure, decentralized finance (DeFi), and market-making solutions in April 2023.
TDB partnered with Yellow Card in April 2023 to facilitate cross-border transactions across 16 African countries, marking a significant development in the crypto-based remittance sector.
Stitch, a South African payment gateway, integrated crypto payment options in November 2022, signifying a step towards mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies in Africa.
Africa faces the challenge of balancing being a consumer and a builder to reach its potential in the blockchain industry, as lack of regulatory clarity has been a major challenge.
Initiatives like Web3Bridge and Aya, which support the development of the blockchain ecosystem in Africa, are crucial for continued growth and development in the industry, especially considering the shortage of African developers actively engaged with Bitcoin.