[Chainalysis] tracked $205 billion in capital flows, and Africa's crypto economy grew by 52%.

According to Coinjie.com, continuous inflation and limited access to hard currency are unlikely to become the accelerator behind prosperity. For many, cryptocurrencies are not an investment option, but a necessary tool for securing storage and entering the global market. On-chain activity in sub-Saharan Africa soared to over $205 billion in the twelve months to June 2025, up 52% ​​from the previous year, according to the latest Chainalysis data [Chainalysis data]. This growth cements the region’s position as the world’s third largest cryptocurrency economy, currently behind the Asia-Pacific and Latin America [Latin America] markets. Researchers noted that a particularly sharp surge in March last year drove the trend, when Nigerian currency suddenly depreciated, sparking a cryptocurrency craze and pushing monthly transactions to a staggering $25 billion. Chainalysis data shows that small transfers are the cornerstone of this expansion. Of the value of all chain transfers in sub-Saharan Africa, more than 8% of transactions are under $10,000. This figure is significantly above the 6% global average, highlighting the deep grassroots adoption of digital assets into daily financial activities. While retail activity forms the basis, institutional momentum is also growing simultaneously, especially among the two largest economies in the region. In Nigeria [Nigeria], its reception value leads with a huge advantage of $92.1 billion, and institutional activity is becoming increasingly visible under the surface. The report notes that high-value stablecoin transfers promote trade flows in industries such as energy and commercial payments between Africa, the Middle East and Asia, thus establishing cryptocurrencies as an important settlement track for traditional financial inadequacy. South Africa is the second largest market in the region, with an institutional maturity driven by regulatory clarity. The country has hundreds of licensed virtual asset service providers, fostering a formal ecosystem that attracts institutional participants. It is worth noting that major financial institutions such as Absa Bank are currently in the late stages of developing cryptocurrency custody and stablecoin products, which marks a critical transition from theoretical exploration to actively developing products for mature customers. The data also emphasizes how token preferences reflect local actual situations. In Nigeria and South Africa, Bitcoin (BTC) still plays a huge role compared to other markets. It accounts for 89% of Nigeria’s fiat currency purchases and 74% in South Africa, which is much higher than 51% of US dollar transactions. In addition to BTC, the adoption of stablecoin, especially USDT, is more evident than the Western market, accounting for 7% of Nigeria’s purchases. This reflects their critical role in savings and informal foreign exchange acquisitions as digital dollar alternatives in economies facing significant differences in official exchange rates and black market exchange rates.