Sub-Saharan Africa Crypto Economy Grows 13% to $101B, Led by South Africa
Chainalysis data shows the region as the world's fastest-growing crypto market, with stablecoins driving cheaper cross-border payments across Africa.
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AfroEuropa desk
Sub-Saharan Africa's cryptocurrency economy expanded 13.4% year-on-year to $101 billion between July 2025 and June 2026, making it the fastest-growing crypto region globally even as it remained the smallest by transaction value, according to blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis. The findings were reported by BitKE.
South Africa and Nigeria together made up more than three-quarters of regional activity, though their markets moved in different directions. South Africa's crypto economy grew 52% to $39.3 billion, driven largely by cross-border peer-to-peer stablecoin flows and cryptocurrency service activity. Nigeria recorded $38.1 billion, a 3% decline from the prior year, as growth in centralized exchange activity was offset by falls in decentralized exchange transactions and cross-border P2P transfers.
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