Crypto in Africa: Paxful looking at cryptocurrency’s potential in East Africa

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Paxful, a peer-to-peer marketplace, is reportedly looking at the cryptocurrency market’s growth potential in East Africa. The startup has already set up shop in Rwanda, ventured into Kenya, and has grown over the last three years into a global peer-to-peer crypto marketplace. It reportedly handles $15 million in crypto transactions, BTC in particular, per week from across the world. This rapid expansion has solidified its place among major reputable crypto players and offers enhancements in both security and efficiency.

Paxful has over 1 million active monthly users from around the world. This is because it has partnered with popular payment platforms such as PayPal, Western Union, Amazon Gift Cards and iTunes Gift cards.

Paxful’s entry into the East African scene is at a time when crypto penetration in Africa is at an all-time high. According to recent studies, one in three Kenyans owns a crypto wallet. Additionally, Kenya’s M-PESA system, a mobile phone-based money transfer and micro-financing service, recently announced the launch of its own crypto device. This will make it convenient for Kenyans to buy and sell cryptos on peer-to-peer marketplaces.

A tokenization drive has been initiated in Rwanda to help steer the crypto market. It has helped connect buyers and sellers to easily trade cryptocurrencies like BTC. This has been aided by the fact that the platform has no buyer fee and a minimal 1% seller fee in online shopping, which has attracted the attention of many online shoppers.

In Rwanda, Paxful is engaged in a project called #BuiltWithBitcoin in conjunction with the non-profit organization Zam Zam Water. The project aims to a school for 6- to 15-year-olds. Previously, the charity initiative funded launched a school in Bugesera in the Nyamata Sector for 3- to 6-year-olds. The aim is to promote charity within the crypto community and to improve and change lives for a better world, according to Paxful CEO Ray Youssef.

The developments in Rwanda and Kenya reflect the growing demand for investing in crypto in East Africa. In Kenya, for instance, more and more people are becoming more confident in dealing with cryptocurrency despite it being new and coming with a learning curve. Most people have come to accept its plethora of benefits. It offers massive wealth distribution globally as well, and presents financial freedom to individuals.

Crypto ventures have the potential to be the initiator of many emerging fundamentals of economic growth in the East African region if the right balance is found.