STABLECOINS | ‘Ghana, Rwanda, Namibia, Senegal, Côte D’Ivoire Among Strongest Candidates for Loca...
Africa’s next wave of stablecoin adoption could come from digital tokens pegged to local currencies rather than the U.S. dollar, according to a new report by Standard Chartered and digital asset firm, Zodia Markets. The report argues that local-currency stablecoins could lower payment costs, improve cross-border trade, and help businesses manage liquidity more efficiently. While the global stablecoin market has grown to more than $300 billion, over 98% of its value remains denominated in U.S. dollars, leaving African currencies largely absent from the digital payments ecosystem.
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Rochelle McCauley, Managing Director and Head of Banks, Broker Dealers, and Fintech for Africa at Standard Chartered, said stablecoins are increasingly being viewed as payment infrastructure rather than just tools for crypto trading. According to McCauley, local-currency stablecoins could reduce friction in cross-border payments, lower remittance costs, support regional trade, and allow companies to move liquidity across markets more efficiently while enabling transactions outside traditional banking hours. The report identifies Ghana, Rwanda, Namibia, Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire as among the strongest candidates for local-currency stablecoins.
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South Africa ranks lower, largely because it already has a well-developed banking sector, deep capital markets, and advanced payment infrastructure.
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Standard Chartered argues that local-currency stablecoins could complement initiatives such as the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) by allowing businesses to settle transactions closer to the currencies they actually use reducing reliance on correspondent banks and multiple foreign-exchange conversions. However, the report says widespread adoption will depend on clear regulation covering reserve backing, transparency, redemption rights, anti-money laundering controls, cybersecurity and consumer protection. McCauley also warned that failing to develop local-currency stablecoins could see U.S. dollar-backed stablecoins become Africa’s default digital payment layer accelerating dollarization, weakening monetary policy, and limiting the development of domestic financial markets.
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