Johannesburg, South Africa, February 16, 2026, Chainwire
VALR, Africa’s largest crypto exchange by trading volume, concluded its role as Gold Sponsor at the Africa Tech Summit in Nairobi on February 11-12, 2026. The event highlighted the growing importance of Africa as a center of crypto innovation and adoption.
The African financial landscape remains fragmented, with 54 countries and several national currencies in use. Cross-border payments continue to face high costs, often averaging around 7-8% for remittances according to sources including the World Bank and industry reports dating back to 2025, and delays of several days through traditional systems. Inflation averaged above 13% across the continent in 2025, according to the African Development Bank’s November 2025 Macroeconomic Performance and Outlook Update. These factors limit access to relatively stable foreign currencies such as the US dollar and encourage the use of alternatives for value preservation and efficient transactions.
Crypto adoption has accelerated in response. Sub-Saharan Africa saw 52% year-over-year growth in crypto activity through mid-2025, according to Chainalysis’ 2025 Global Crypto Adoption Index and Geography of Cryptocurrency report. Stablecoins such as USDT and USDC play a leading role in transaction volumes in the region, supporting practical applications such as inflation hedging, remittances and payments.
According to data from Chainalysis, countries like Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Ghana rank among the highest in the world in crypto adoption. Nigeria leads sub-Saharan Africa with a transaction value of over $92 billion in the 12 months to mid-2025, followed by South Africa. Africa accounts for only about 3% of global trading volume, but these markets are showing leadership in applying crypto to real-world challenges around accessibility, participation and capital flows.
VALR has grown rapidly over the past two years, establishing itself as Africa’s leading cryptocurrency exchange in terms of trading volume. It offers the deepest ZAR-denominated crypto markets in the world and ranks among the largest USDC originators in the world. Authorized by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) of South Africa and with regulatory approval in Europe, VALR serves more than 1.7 million registered users and 1,800 corporate and institutional clients.
Co-founder and CEO Farzam Ehsani delivered a keynote speech on the VALR stage. He spoke of the need for the global financial system to reflect the fundamental unity of humanity, with crypto well-positioned to play a key role in achieving this.
Reflecting on the summit, Ehsani said: “The Africa Tech Summit in Nairobi reinforced a clear message: “Africa is not just adopting crypto, but leading its practical application to solve pressing financial needs.” We are optimistic about the future of the continent and the role of unified and inclusive finance globally. VALR remains committed to building infrastructure that bridges divides and advances this shared vision.
Co-founder and Head of Product Badi Sudhakaran participated in a panel on crypto adoption in Africa. He emphasized that adoption stems from necessity, positioning the continent as a hub for innovation and real-world applications.
About VALR
Founded in 2018, headquartered in Johannesburg and backed by leading investors including Pantera Capital, Coinbase Ventures and Fidelity’s F-Prime Capital, VALR is a global crypto exchange offering a full suite of products including Spot Trading, Spot Margin, Perpetual Futures, Staking, Lending, Borrowing, OTC Services, VALR Invest, Crypto Bundles and VALR Pay. Licensed by the FSCA of South Africa, with regulatory approval in Europe, VALR serves more than 1.7 million registered users and 1,800 corporate and institutional customers worldwide. The exchange is dedicated to promoting a just financial future that upholds human dignity and the unity of humanity. For more information, visit valr.com.
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