Africa is entering a new era of trade modernization. The newly launched Africa Digital Access and Public Infrastructure for Trade (ADAPT) initiative aims to digitize cross-border payments, trade documents, and identities. Built on blockchain technology and stablecoins, the project could reshape how the continent trades with the rest of the world over the next decade.

ADAPT: an open digital network for the entire continent

The initiative is backed by AfCFTA, the Iota Foundation, the Tony Blair Institute, and the World Economic Forum. Their goal is to establish open digital public infrastructure that streamlines cross-border processes across African markets.

According to the Iota Foundation, ADAPT will provide cross-border payments through stablecoins, digital storage for trade documents, and interoperable digital identities. Dominik Schiener, co-founder and chairman of the Iota Foundation, said on X that the project aims to be deployed in all 55 African states by 2035.

Its ambitions are significant: generate 70 billion dollars in additional annual trade, reduce customs processing from up to 14 days to less than three, and cut cross-border payment fees from 6–9% to under 3%. “Customs and border clearance will shrink from weeks to hours,” Schiener noted. “And exporters will gain access to global trade-finance liquidity.”

First countries: Kenya in 2026

According to the Iota Foundation, the pilot phase will begin early next year in Kenya, followed by Ghana and a third, undisclosed country. Full rollout is planned for 2027 and will continue through 2035.

“It will be a long and demanding journey,” Schiener acknowledged. “But with AfCFTA and our partners, we’re confident we can connect Africa through the most advanced digital trade infrastructure in the world.”

Today’s problem: paperwork, delays, and expensive transactions

Africa’s trade digitalization has long been slowed by outdated procedures. Chido Munyati of the World Economic Forum warns that paper documents and slow border payments remain some of the continent’s biggest barriers. These inefficiencies hinder growth and increase the cost of cross-border trade.

According to the Iota Foundation, delays often stretch from days to weeks. ADAPT aims to eliminate these barriers — and blockchain will play a pivotal role. Transparent records, easy verification, and automation could significantly accelerate the entire trade cycle.

Africa is already one of the most active crypto regions

The region’s rapidly expanding crypto ecosystem supports this shift. Statista estimates that more than 75 million Africans will enter the crypto space by 2026, reaching a user rate of 5.9%. Crypto market revenue is expected to hit 5.1 billion dollars.

Stablecoins are particularly dynamic, already accounting for around 43% of all transaction volume in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to Chainalysis. The most active countries include Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, and Zambia.

What it means for crypto markets

ADAPT reinforces a long-standing trend: Africa is a global leader in real-world use cases for digital currencies. While Western markets focus on regulation and speculative investing, digital assets in Africa solve practical challenges — costly banking, slow payments, and weak infrastructure.

If successful, ADAPT could accelerate stablecoin adoption among businesses, strengthen blockchain integration into government and logistics systems, and boost economic momentum across the region. For investors, it signals that Africa is becoming one of the most important digital-economy markets of the coming decade.

Sources:

https://blog.iota.org/adapt-africa-digital-trade/

https://x.com/DomSchiener/status/1990462526358733065

https://www.statista.com/outlook/fmo/digital-assets/cryptocurrencies/africa?srsltid=AfmBOoq2g5JXJFA7rtQ1nMkw7kl43CQidtQoudBnOHPJqf7zAa-2QHhC

https://cointelegraph.com/news/currency-devaluation-drives-stablecoin-adoption-sub-saharan-africa