Ripple Report: 52% Crypto Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa

Ripple, a leading blockchain payments company, released a report this week detailing the rapid expansion of cryptocurrency adoption across Africa, fueled by regulatory advancements in at least eight nations and a 52 percent year-over-year increase in onchain activity. The analysis, which covers Sub-Saharan Africa from July 2024 to June 2025, recorded more than $205 billion in onchain value, positioning the region as one of the world's fastest-growing digital asset markets.

The report attributes much of this momentum to evolving regulatory frameworks that balance innovation with consumer protection and anti-money laundering standards. In South Africa, authorities established a comprehensive system in June 2023, classifying certain crypto assets as financial products. Crypto Asset Service Providers there must obtain licenses from the Financial Sector Conduct Authority and comply with the Financial Intelligence Centre, including adherence to the Financial Action Task Force's Travel Rule. An intergovernmental working group is also examining policies for stablecoins and tokenization.

Kenya advanced quickly, enacting the Virtual Asset Service Providers Bill in October 2025 after its...