Fintech firms, banks, regulators and blockchain companies will meet in Nairobi on May 14–15 for the Kenya Blockchain and Crypto Conference, as the use of stablecoins in payments and cross-border transactions gains momentum across Africa.
The meeting comes at a time when stablecoins, digital tokens pegged to traditional currencies are increasingly being used for remittances, business payments and treasury operations, particularly in markets where access to foreign exchange is limited or costly.
Globally, stablecoins have grown rapidly in scale, handling trillions of dollars in annual transaction volume.
In African markets, adoption has been driven less by speculation and more by the need for faster settlement, lower transaction costs and more predictable currency exposure.
Kenya, with its long-established mobile money ecosystem, is emerging as one of the markets where these systems are beginning to intersect.
The integration of blockchain-based payment tools into existing digital finance infrastructure is drawing interest from both fintech firms and financial institutions.
“Businesses are not adopting stablecoins because they are trendy; they are using them because cross-border payments remain slow and expensive,” a Nairobi-based payments executive familiar with regional transactions said.
Financial institutions are also exploring how stablecoins could be used in liquidity management and international settlements, particularly for companies operating across multiple jurisdictions.
The growing use of these systems, however, is also attracting regulatory attention. Policymakers are increasingly focused on how to oversee digital assets, address risks such as fraud and illicit financial flows, and ensure consumer protection as adoption expands.
Recent data from blockchain analytics firms shows improvements in monitoring and compliance within stablecoin networks, alongside increased cooperation between issuers and law enforcement agencies. This has contributed to a decline in some categories of illicit activity, even as overall usage continues to rise.
“Regulation is catching up, but unevenly,” said a digital finance analyst. “The challenge for many African markets will be how to support innovation while managing risks in a sector that is evolving very quickly.”
The Nairobi meeting is expected to bring together policymakers, financial institutions and technology providers to examine how stablecoins and blockchain-based systems are being used in practice, and what frameworks may be needed as they scale.
Sessions will focus on payments infrastructure, regulatory approaches and real-world applications, reflecting a broader shift in the industry from early experimentation to more practical, business-driven use cases.
The conference is part of a wider set of policy and industry discussions taking place globally, as digital assets become more embedded in financial systems and raise new questions about the future of money, payments and cross-border trade.
Building on the success of the 2025 edition, which attracted 1,633 attendees, over 70 speakers, and generated more than 8 million in hashtag reach, the 2026 conference is expected to further strengthen its position as a key platform for shaping Africa’s digital financial future.
The conference will feature keynote sessions, panel discussions, regulator roundtables, and breakout sessions focused on payments, policy, infrastructure, and capital, providing a comprehensive view of how stablecoins and blockchain technologies are being deployed across the continent.
Some of the notable speakers include: Tom Wang, General Manager Emerging Markets at OKX, Sitah Lang’o, Head of East & West Africa at SWIFT, Daniel Mainda, CEO, Nairobi International Financial Centre Authority, Apollo Sande of Luno, Peter Mwangi, Country Manager, VALR amongst others The conference this year has been sponsored by OKX, Tether, VALR, Honeycoin, Bitget Kotani Pay, Luno, YoguPay Pawapay amongst others.
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