Posts in: web3

🚀 From “Crypto? No Thanks!” to “We’re All In” – How Traditional Finance Did a 180° on Digital Assets

For years, traditional finance #TradFi treated crypto like a risky, volatile experiment—something to be ignored, dismissed, or even openly criticized. “Too speculative,” they said. “No real-world use,” they claimed. Many followed suit, writing off blockchain and stablecoins as a passing fad.

But look at the landscape now.

The same institutions that once turned up their noses are now racing to lead the charge. Two major banking consortia have emerged, signaling a seismic shift in how finance views digital assets:

1️⃣ The G7 Powerhouse: 10 Global Banks Exploring Stablecoins

These titans are jointly exploring blockchain-based stablecoins pegged to G7 currencies—a far cry from the days of skepticism.

2️⃣ The Euro Alliance: 9 European Banks Launching a Euro Stablecoin

Their goal? A euro-denominated stablecoin to challenge U.S. dominance in digital payments.

Why the Sudden Change?

• Regulatory clarity (e.g., MiCA)
• Fear of missing out as crypto adoption surges
• The rise of tokenized assets—banks now see real value in blockchain efficiency

To be clear: This is far from the original vision of decentralized finance. But it undeniably opens a door to digital assets—and that door won’t be closed again.

The message is clear: Crypto isn’t just for “the others” anymore. The same banks that once warned against crypto are now using it.

Question for the comments: Is this a genuine evolution—or just FOMO in disguise? And what does it mean for the future of money?

#DigitalAssets #Stablecoins #BankingRevolution #Blockchain #Finance2025

🚀 Breaking Down the Stack: Why Web3 Payments Can Transform Support in Fragile Contexts

In places hit by war or disaster, financial infrastructure is often broken—or nonexistent. Traditional support faces security risks, high costs, and a lack of transparency. But what if we could deliver assistance that’s secure, traceable, and inclusive, even where banks don’t exist?

Web3 payments can offer a powerful solution. By leveraging blockchain, it can enable fast, transparent transactions, empower communities, and give donors real-time visibility. Yet, success isn’t just about tech—it’s about people, partnerships, and collaboration.

Why break down the stack?

• Demystify the technology – Help program managers, donors, and practitioners understand what’s needed and why, so they can make informed decisions.
• Prepare for full-scale deployment – Clarify roles, interactions, and procurement needs to move from pilot to program with transparency and confidence.
• Ensure nothing is overlooked – From wallets to on/off-ramps, every component must be accounted for to build a system that truly works in the field.

The real challenge ahead? Moving from pilot to full-scale impact. That’s where you come in.

If you’re already involved in similar projects or pilots, let’s share our experiences and refine these models together.

🔗 Read more: Breaking Down the Stack: What It Takes to Implement Web3 Payments for Lasting Impact

#Web3 #HumanitarianTech #DigitalPayments #InnovationForImpact

🌟 Honored to have been part of workshop on “Harnessing the Potential of Digital Sustainable Finance to Accelerate the Agenda 2030” in Bonn! 🌟

A big thank you to the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), SOAS Centre for Sustainable Finance and particularly Prof. Ulrich Volz for organising such an insightful event.

During the morning of this full-day workshop, I participated in a closed-door roundtable that explored ‚Rethinking capital market infrastructure to scale up sustainable finance‘ and ‚Fostering inclusive green finance through digital solutions‘. The presentations and discussions were enlightening with valuable contributions from Yuen Lo and Peter Knaack.

When I was on the panel after the official book launch, the panel was asked to single out the most important innovation in this area. While I made it clear how digital payments #web3 #stablecoins can really help, I specifically emphasised the huge potential of #biodiversity #certificates in dealing with the big problems we’re facing.

It was a pleasure to engage with esteemed speakers including Dr. Erica Moret, Amb. Prof. Bitange Ndemo, and Dr. Iliya Nickelt.

If you missed the live stream, the book “Sustainable Digital Finance” is available as a PDF or EPUB via open access at Springer.

#SustainableFinance #DigitalFinance #Agenda2030 #Sustainability #FinanceForGood #FutureOfCooperation

🌐 Building Resilient Digital Transactions in Fragile Contexts with Web3 🌐

In fragile environments, secure and inclusive digital transactions can transform lives. I recently revisited the technology and economics behind these solutions and sketched out the stack required to make them work.

Why does this matter? Clarity is key—both for didactics and procurement. Explicitly breaking down the stack helps generate a common understanding, especially when discussing setup with non-technical stakeholders. It also ensures that expected services are properly defined during procurement.

This is how I currently understand the stack to come together:

🔗 Public Blockchain layer 1/2: The foundation—like Algorand, Cosmos, Ethereum, Gnosis, Linea, Polygon, or Stellar—delivering security, transparency, and smart contract capabilities.

💰 Stablecoin: Digital currencies like USDT, USDC, and EURS, providing stability and enabling seamless cross-border transactions.

⚙️ Stablecoin Management: Platforms such as ensuring compliance and smooth integration with APIs and tools.

🔒 (Regulated) Onramp Service Provider: The regulated gateway for converting fiat to digital assets, ensuring trust and accessibility.

👛 Wallet: User-friendly digital wallets enabling secure storage and transactions, even offline.

💱 Offramp & Liquidity Services: Services bridging digital assets to local currency and ensuring liquidity, such as mobile money providers or local liquidity vendors.

This space is still evolving, with overlaps and players emerging as solution providers—integrating parts of the stack.

👉🏻 Does this resonate? Does it help you understand the space better? Do you see yourself in this stack?

🔍 TL;DR: Web3 is reshaping digital transactions in fragile contexts. From blockchain infrastructure to regulated onramps and user-friendly off-ramps, every layer matters. Does this help you? Let’s discuss! 🚀

Stablecoins: Why the Fundamentals Matter 💰🔗

As stablecoins gain traction, especially in development and humanitarian contexts, it is worth revisiting some of the fundamental risks. The 2020 paper Stablecoins 2.0: Economic Foundations and Risk-Based Models (Klages-Mundt et al.) still serves as a timely reminder that: Not all stablecoins are created equal, and their risks are often underestimated.

For custodial stablecoins (those backed by reserve funds), three core risks stand out:

• Counterparty risk: Your trust is only as strong as the custodian’s solvency and integrity. There is no deposit insurance here.
• Censorship risk: Centralised control means redemptions or issuance can be blocked.
• Economic risk: If the value of the reserve assets fluctuates, so does the value of your ‘stable’ coin. Simply being pegged does not guarantee stability.

The paper’s framework remains relevant today, particularly as institutional adoption increases. When using stablecoins in high-stakes environments such as aid or remittances, these shouldn’t be abstract concerns.

🔗 Read the paper

MoneyGram Launches Stablecoin-Powered Remittance App in Colombia 🌎💸

MoneyGram has introduced a new mobile app in Colombia that integrates USD-pegged stablecoins (USDC), enabling users to receive, store, and manage funds in dollars rather than local currency. The app leverages the Stellar blockchain ⚡ and Crossmint’s wallet infrastructure to facilitate fast, low-cost transactions—without requiring a bank account.

Context: Why Colombia? 🇨🇴 Colombia is a major remittance market, where families receive over 22 times more in inflows than outflows. With the peso’s value fluctuating significantly in recent years, stablecoins offer recipients a way to preserve value and avoid exposure to local currency depreciation.

Key Features

• USDC as the in-app currency: Provides stability and transparency. 💵
• Blockchain-powered transfers: Enables near-instant, low-cost transactions. ⚡
• Global cash network: Access to 500,000+ retail locations for easy cash withdrawals. 🏦

Broader Implications The global remittance market exceeds US$860 billion annually, often characterised by high fees and slow processing times. By adopting blockchain technology, MoneyGram aims to reduce costs and improve efficiency. This initiative also raises questions about the potential dollarisation of local economies, as users gain direct access to dollar-denominated digital assets.

What’s Next? The app is now live in Colombia, with plans for expansion. A key factor to watch: whether the cost savings from blockchain-based transfers will be passed on to end users, potentially pressuring traditional remittance providers to innovate.

This development marks a significant step in the evolution of cross-border payments, blending digital currency with an established global network. Read the full press release.

#Remittances #Stablecoins #Fintech #Blockchain #DigitalPayments

#EuroStablecoins are gaining traction. 🇪🇺

There is currently a lot of buzz around stablecoins; interest is growing quickly, as is the market capitalisation and number of coins. The vast majority of the market is currently dominated by #USD-pegged coins. However, there are #EUR stablecoins, and demand is growing.

The market capitalisation is currently approx. 550 million euros, with a daily trading volume of over 100 million euros.

Among the top ten Euro stablecoins, Circles' EURC is dominant, with #StasisEuro, #AllUnityEuro, #CeloEuro and #QuantozEuro among the key contenders.

Transaction volumes of EURC recently grew nearly 89% month-over-month on average, with monthly volume rising from approximately $47 million in June 2024 to over $7.5 billion by June 2025 (for further details, please refer to Chainalysis).

📊 Full market data & rankings: CoinGecko EUR Stablecoin overview

Blockchain based solutions in #InternationalDevelopment seem to slowly pass the trough of disillusionment, entering the slope of enlightenment, following the Cycle of Overblown Hopes and Shattered Dreams defined by a large research and advisory firm.

But that does not mean the same mechanisms may again kick in that lead to the overstated expectations of the hype phase.

In the field of humanitarian aid, the paper ‘Conjuring a Blockchain Pilot: Ignorance and Innovation in Humanitarian Aid’, describes the mechanisms that came into play during the initial hype surrounding blockchain technology. While I do not agree with all of the paper’s arguments, I believe it provides a concise description of the dynamics within the sector that is also relevant to development cooperation.

In the end, technology should not be first; it should be critically assessed, even if one is confident about the opportunities in selected use cases. And design should start with the people and communities, which the support should help to improve their living and create opportunities. #FutureOfCooperation #blockchain #web3

🚀 The Africa Impact Web3 Report is here! 🌍

A major milestone for the Web3 and blockchain ecosystem in Africa — this in-depth report showcases 130+ blockchain solutions driving real change across 13 countries.

From financial inclusion to sustainable agriculture, digital identity, climate resilience, and carbon tracking, the report highlights how Web3 is already transforming lives and shaping the continent’s future.

A must-read for anyone working in or curious about the intersection of technology, impact, and innovation in Africa.

👏 Huge kudos to the incredible team behind this initiative: PositiveBlockchain and the Africa Centre of Excellence in Blockchain Research (ACEBR) at the Africa Blockchain Institute, in collaboration with BC100+, and with the support of Blockchain for Good Alliance (BGA) and Berlin Partner – Cluster ICT.

This is more than just a report — it’s a powerful call to action for builders, investors, and changemakers in the global Web3 community.

🔗 Get the full report here!

#AfricaWeb3 #BlockchainForGood #Web3Impact #DeFi #Sustainability #DigitalIdentity #ClimateTech #TechForGood #PositiveBlockchain #AfricaBlockchain #Innovation #FutureOfCooperation

The NFT craze is over, but there are still scams around, but hey - here we go: I’ve minted a NFT for a little crypto, and it’s for a good cause! 🚀 It’s for Mercy Corps Ventures' 4th Crypto For Good web3 grant programme. Mercy Corps launched the 4th round of the C4G fund in November 2024. After three rounds with over 500 applicants, 15+ pilots and 40,000+ users, their mission is to fund real-world web3 use cases that help people in the Global South access financial services and build resilience to climate change. 🌍

👉 Mercy Cops Ventures

Proud to be part of a team that’s applying to this program, using crypto to advance a cause for good. And of course I’m not getting rich off this NFT 😂 - it’s a personal token to celebrate our meaningful efforts 💡🤝.