Author: Louis Dike
Louis Dike
Louis Dike is the Publisher of Coinafrica, leveraging years of experience driving growth for global exchanges like Bybit, Bitget, and VTrader across Africa. A former Binance Tutor, he now channels his expertise into clear, insightful reporting that amplifies Africa’s voice in the global Web3 economy.
Less than five weeks after announcing plans to shut down operations due to funding constraints, cross-border payments startup Chimoney is reportedly set to be acquired, marking a surprising twist in the company’s journey. The Nigerian-founded fintech, which built payment infrastructure connecting businesses across Africa, North America, and Latin America, had previously informed customers that it would cease new transactions and integrations after failing to secure sufficient capital to continue operating. The startup had begun refunding customer balances while preparing for an orderly wind-down. From Shutdown to Acquisition The reported acquisition comes at a time when many observers believed Chimoney’s story…
Zimbabwe has formally introduced a regulatory framework for cryptocurrency businesses, requiring Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) operating in the country to register and comply with oversight requirements. The move marks one of the most significant developments in Zimbabwe’s digital asset sector in recent years and signals a broader shift from regulatory uncertainty toward structured supervision of crypto-related activities. Under the new framework, crypto exchanges, custodians, brokers, and other VASPs must register with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), which operates under the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. Businesses that fail to register could face penalties or restrictions on their operations. From Uncertainty…
Elon Musk has officially become the world’s first trillionaire after SpaceX’s historic public market debut sent the company’s valuation soaring past the $2 trillion mark. According to Forbes, Musk’s fortune surged to approximately $1.1 trillion as SpaceX shares began trading on the Nasdaq, cementing his position as the wealthiest individual in modern history. The milestone comes after years of rapid growth across Musk’s business empire, which includes SpaceX, Tesla, xAI, X, Neuralink, and The Boring Company. However, it was SpaceX’s long-anticipated IPO that ultimately pushed the billionaire beyond the trillion-dollar threshold. SpaceX opened trading at $150 per share after pricing…
For years, discussions around African finance have focused on financial inclusion and the continent’s large unbanked population. Yet one of the biggest obstacles facing African commerce today is often misunderstood. The problem is not necessarily that Africans cannot access banking services. Rather, Africa’s financial systems remain fragmented across dozens of currencies, payment networks, and regulatory jurisdictions. While a bank transfer within Nigeria may take seconds, moving money from Nigeria to Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, or other African markets can still involve multiple intermediaries, foreign exchange conversions, settlement delays, and additional costs. This challenge has become one of the strongest arguments…
In this episode of One-on-One with CoinAfrica, Louis Dike sits down with Franklin Peters, CEO of BoundlessPay, founder of Blockchain Vibes, and Chairman of the Board of the Virtual Asset Service Providers Association (VASPA). Franklin shares his personal journey into crypto, the origins of Boundless Pay, Africa’s cross-border payments challenges, the rise of stablecoins, fundraising realities for African startups, crypto regulation, and what it will take to build Africa’s first crypto unicorn. If you’re interested in crypto, fintech, stablecoins, payments, blockchain innovation, or Africa’s digital economy, this conversation is for you. 🔔 Subscribe to CoinAfrica for more exclusive interviews with…
The 10th Senate of Nigeria has advanced a landmark bill aimed at establishing a formal framework for the regulation of crypto, digital assets, and virtual asset service providers (VASPs), marking another step toward integrating digital assets into the country’s financial system. The proposed legislation, titled the Virtual Asset Service Providers Regulation Bill, 2026, passed its second reading on Tuesday and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Capital Market for further legislative review. Lawmakers backing the bill say it is designed to improve investor protection, strengthen market transparency, combat illicit financial activity, and position Nigeria’s digital economy for long-term…
Nigeria’s capital market is undergoing a demographic transformation, and according to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), fintech investment apps are playing a central role. Speaking during an appearance on MoneyLine with Nancy, SEC Director-General Emomotimi Agama said early indicators suggest a growing number of young Nigerians are entering the capital market through digital investment platforms, creating a new wave of retail participation that could reshape the country’s financial landscape. The remarks come as regulators, fintech operators, and digital asset companies compete to attract a generation of Nigerians that increasingly prefers mobile-first financial services. Young Nigerians Are Entering Markets Through…
The Tinubu Optasia FCCPC dispute is quickly becoming one of the most significant financial infrastructure stories in Nigeria this year. While the immediate focus is on airtime credit lending and digital finance, the implications could extend far beyond telecommunications and into the country’s growing blockchain and cryptocurrency ecosystem. Recent reports indicate that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has backed efforts by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to address concerns surrounding Optasia’s position in Nigeria’s airtime lending market. The development has reignited conversations around competition, local ownership, economic sovereignty, and the future of financial infrastructure in Africa’s largest economy.…
In this exclusive CoinAfrica One-on-One interview, Louis Dike sits down with Rume Ophi to discuss Bitcoin, regulation, stablecoins, tokenization, and the future of Africa’s crypto ecosystem. ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:48 Who Is Rume Ophi Really? 04:55 The Side of Rume Most People Don’t Know 08:10 Why Web3 Could Create Africa’s Next Billionaires 09:42 The Biggest Crypto Mistake Africans Make 12:15 Why Rume No Longer Thinks Like Most Crypto Traders 17:05 Has Africa’s Crypto Industry Matured? 20:18 Why Nigerians Keep Choosing Crypto 26:08 Inside Nigeria’s Crypto Regulation Battle 34:12 Why Africa Is Crypto’s Biggest Utility Market 36:55 The Trillion-Dollar Opportunity…
LAGOS, Nigeria — Esca Finance, a Nigerian-founded foreign exchange and treasury management startup, has partnered with MANSA, a stablecoin-powered liquidity provider backed by Tether, to facilitate same-day settlements across key African payment corridors. As partners, they aim to reduce capital inefficiencies that have long slowed cross-border payments on the continent. The partnership combines Esca Finance’s FX sourcing, banking relationships, and local payout infrastructure with MANSA’s stablecoin-backed liquidity network. Together, the companies say they will support payment providers and remittance firms operating across markets, including Nigeria, Ghana, and Francophone West and Central Africa. Tackling Africa’s Prefunding Challenge Cross-border payment operators in…