Tether, largest company in the digital asset industry, has announced a strategic investment in Kotani Pay, a Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP) offering on-ramp/off-ramp infrastructure that connects Web3 users to local payment channels across Africa.
A statement noted that this investment aims to empower people and businesses in Africa by allowing easy access to digital assets and lowering barriers to global financial participation.
Kotani Pay has established itself as a name in the African financial technology landscape, with a
growing network and the ability to deliver solutions tailored to local market needs. Its
infrastructure aligns with Tether’s broader mission to expand blockchain use cases, such as
cross-border payments and digital asset management, provide extensive access to financial
tools, and create systems that empower underserved communities to participate in the global
economy. By leveraging blockchain technology, Kotani Pay enables enterprises to manage
international operations efficiently, offering businesses and individuals practical solutions to
access global liquidity and transact with ease.
The statement said this investment will make access to digital assets and cross-border payment systems
seamless, addressing long-standing challenges faced by SMEs and corporates in emerging markets such as high transaction costs, long settlement times, and limited access to global
financial networks. Businesses and individuals previously excluded from the international
financial system will gain direct access to the global economy, supported by blockchain-powered
solutions that deliver stability, security, and efficiency.
According to the Chainalysis regional report, Sub-Saharan Africa remains the smallest crypto
economy. Still, its usage patterns reveal significant insights into grassroots usage and the increasing role of crypto in everyday financial activity. Africa is witnessing a profound shift in how people access, use, and trust financial tools, with cryptocurrency becoming increasingly
central to this transformation.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, on-chain crypto transaction volume exceeded US$205 billion between July 2024 and June 2025, marking a 52% year-on-year increase, driven by retail usage and remittances. Key markets such as Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and Ethiopia lead the expansion in users and use cases. This reflects more than speculative interest that emerges from real needs in regions with high inflation, currency volatility, limited banking infrastructure,
and large populations that are unbanked or underbanked.
“At Tether, we believe that blockchain technology plays a critical role in unlocking financial freedom,” said Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether.
“Kotani Pay’s vision and strong regional
presence make it the right fit to drive our shared goals in Africa. Together, we aim to provide
businesses and individuals with access to digital assets for their global operations, reduce
friction in cross-border transactions, and build a more inclusive financial future while promoting
the informed use of digital assets.
“At Kotani Pay, we have been fortunate to witness and build on the rising usage of blockchain technology on the continent across a variety of use cases. This strategic investment from Tether
better positions us to continue our work as a bridge to the on-chain economy, connecting
millions of Africans to the global financial system. We are excited to be part of the Tether
Ecosystem and to leverage the shared knowledge to advance the goals of building tools of wealth creation for African individuals and businesses,” Felix Macharia, CEO and Co-founder
at Kotani Pay.
Tether and Kotani Pay are both committed to advancing the financial future of Africa by scaling access to blockchain-based tools that drive efficiency, transparency, and inclusion. This
investment sets a new benchmark for how blockchain technology can transform individual daily life and business operations across the continent. Together, they aim to shape a more resilient and inclusive digital economy for Africa.
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