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Home Blog Page 3816

Understand AfCFTA, SADM and PAPSS

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The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a landmark agreement that aims to create a single market for goods and services in Africa, with a population of 1.3 billion people and a combined GDP of $3.4 trillion. The AfCFTA entered into force in May 2019 and trading under its rules started in January 2021. It is expected to boost intra-African trade, industrialization, and economic development across the continent.

One of the key pillars of the AfCFTA is the Single African Digital Market (SADM), which is an initiative to harmonize digital policies and regulations, promote digital infrastructure and connectivity, and foster digital skills and innovation. The SADM will enable the free movement of data, goods, and services across Africa, as well as create new opportunities for digital entrepreneurs and businesses.

A crucial component of the SADM is the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), which is a centralized payment platform that allows cross-border transactions in local currencies. The PAPSS was launched in July 2019 by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the African Union Commission (AUC). It aims to reduce the reliance on foreign currencies, lower transaction costs, and increase financial inclusion.

The PAPSS is expected to facilitate trade under the AfCFTA by providing a secure, efficient, and affordable payment system for intra-African trade. It will also support the development of regional value chains and the integration of informal traders into the formal economy.

However, the AfCFTA faces several challenges that need to be addressed in order to realize its full potential. One of these challenges is the lack of digital integration and interoperability among African countries, which hampers the flow of information, transactions and payments across borders. This is where the Single African Digital Market (SADM) and the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) come in.

Some of the main challenges are:

Harmonizing trade policies and regulations among 54 diverse countries, with different levels of economic development, infrastructure, governance and institutional capacity.

Addressing non-tariff barriers, such as customs delays, transport costs, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical standards and quality requirements, that can raise the cost of doing business and reduce the competitiveness of African products.

Enhancing productive capacities and diversifying exports, especially in the industrial and service sectors, to take advantage of the larger market opportunities and avoid trade imbalances.

Ensuring that the benefits of trade liberalization are equitably distributed among and within countries, and that vulnerable groups, such as women, youth and small-scale farmers, are not left behind or marginalized.

Building political will and trust among member states, as well as engaging with stakeholders from the private sector, civil society and regional organizations, to foster ownership and commitment to the AfCFTA vision and objectives.

These challenges are not insurmountable, but they require concerted efforts and cooperation from all parties involved. The AfCFTA is not a panacea for Africa’s development challenges, but it is a crucial step towards achieving greater integration, cooperation and prosperity on the continent.

The SADM seeks to promote the development of digital infrastructure, platforms and services, as well as the adoption of common standards, protocols and guidelines for data protection, cybersecurity, consumer protection and taxation. The SADM also aims to foster digital skills, innovation and entrepreneurship among African youth and women. The PAPSS is designed to reduce the reliance on foreign currencies, lower transaction costs, increase financial inclusion and support monetary policy coordination. The PAPSS is expected to be operational by the end of 2021, with 18 countries already committed to join.

The SADM and the PAPSS are complementary and mutually reinforcing initiatives that will support the implementation of the AfCFTA and enhance its benefits for African businesses and consumers. By creating a digital single market and a payment system for Africa, they will enable faster, cheaper and more secure trade and e-commerce across the continent.

The AfCFTA, the SADM, and the PAPSS are ambitious and transformative initiatives that have the potential to reshape the economic landscape of Africa. They will create new markets, new opportunities, and new challenges for African businesses and consumers. They will also require strong political commitment, effective coordination, and adequate resources to ensure their successful implementation.

Cinderbuild’s Grand Unification of Real Estate Construction and Building Materials Sourcing in Africa

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It was simple: how do you finance real estate and broad construction projects? Do you give out the loan and hope for the best? For centuries and decades in Africa, many mortgage firms, financiers, and builders have struggled to come to equilibrium. And that has affected our capacity to provide shelters, build bridges, roads, etc.

But now, something amazing is here: with CinderBuild Inc. mortgage credit card, you can take the loan for that project, and it will help supply every material you need for that construction. Simply, it unifies the core elements of building and construction in Africa: the fund and the materials!

Also, it can help you get a project done as a working professional: “As a trendsetting organization, with a steadfast focus on reshaping the building materials procurement industry landscapes, our journey with our corporate clients in the real estate and construction space has ignited an unprecedented wave of innovation leading to the birth of Nigeria’s first credit Mortgage Card.

“We are issuing salary-backed mortgage loans to Nigeria’s working class allowing them to make down payments and installmental payments on exclusive real estate properties listed by our esteemed corporates. By doing this, salary earners are now well equipped to confidently explore the real estate market and secure their dream homes with ease.”

Cinderbuild, a Tekedia Capital portfolio, is Africa’s largest real estate and construction materials marketplace. We continue to pioneer the future. Interested? The contacts are here cinderbuild.com .


Cinder Build was launched with a vision to bring about a seamless buying experience in the real estate and construction space.

Our business model on the supply side is hinged on solid partnerships with major manufacturers which gives us an enviable catalog of building materials at very competitive prices (We actually prefer the word unbeatable). We deliver this value on the demand side through our digital platform to two user segments; Resellers (C-stores)  and Corporate buyers

Initially, we focused on catering to the needs of the reseller segment. However, as time went on, we recognized the opportunity to establish dedicated offline distribution channels known as C-stores, stemming from our existing reseller user base. These C-stores, consisting of resellers who make substantial weekly bulk purchases, have become an integral part of our business. To alleviate the capital procurement challenges associated with restocking, we have implemented an automated system that ensures these C-stores receive restocks at least twice a week. As a result, they have become invaluable distribution partners for us. Presently, our network boasts over 1500 C-stores and continues to grow.

We have evolved as a business in line with data based feedback and insights gained from our interaction with key real estate and construction players, working with their procurement teams on their project. We developed Builder 360™, an all-in-one product suite to cater for this segment.

The Builder 360™ suite is an interconnected web of value-added solutions and services, made available to customers based on platform loyalty. For every amount spent on the platform, eligibility increases and at certain spend thresholds, users unlock a new solution typically addressing critical pain areas.

With Builder 360™, you get access to cutting-edge solutions that allow you outsmart inflation, store project materials virtually for future use. It doesn’t end there, you have access to inventory management tools, project financing, access to vetted artisans, visibility across board and much more.

Users can unlock  the various solutions based on their rank within the community and they move up the rank as they hit transaction volume milestones.

Furthermore, the emergence of online marketplaces and procurement platforms like CinderBuild has made it easier for builders to source and purchase construction materials, equipment, and services. With CinderBuild’s Cloud Warehouse solution, for instance, builders can store materials virtually and receive on-demand piecewise site deliveries, reducing the need for physical storage space and eliminating the risk of theft or damage.

We are proud to currently serve a robust client base of corporates across the Real estate and construction space.

As a trendsetting organization, with a steadfast focus on reshaping the building materials procurement industry landscapes, our journey with our corporate clients in the real estate and construction space has ignited an unprecedented wave of innovation leading to the birth of Nigeria’s first credit Mortgage Card. We are issuing salary-backed mortgage loans to Nigeria’s working class allowing them to make down payments and installmental payments on exclusive real estate properties listed by our esteemed corporates. By doing this, salary earners are now well equipped to confidently explore the real estate market and secure their dream homes with ease.

Upon the successful acquisition of a property by a salary earner, the funds are transferred to our secure escrow system. Simultaneously, corporates have access to these funds, enabling them to procure high quality building materials for their construction projects from CinderBuild. This seamless integration streamlines the entire process, eliminating delays, and enhancing the efficiency of property development.

By empowering corporates with the financial resources to procure superior building materials, we are catalyzing a transformative change in the construction industry. The properties developed through our platform boast enhanced durability and quality materials, elevating the overall living experience for homeowners. This virtuous cycle fosters a reputation of excellence for corporates, attracting more potential buyers and creating a positive impact in the real estate market.

Owning a mortgage account with cinderbuild is simple and hassle-free. Homeowners can easily link their mortgage accounts to the card, allowing for direct payments and better visibility of mortgage-related transactions. Every financial transaction is meticulously tracked and recorded, ensuring complete visibility for both salary earners and corporates.

For us at CinderBuild, beyond the bottom line and the excitement of deploying a rapidly adopted technology solution, we are peeling back layer by layer the depth of value in tech enabled procurement and delivering this value to a fast growing user base in one of the largest construction markets in the world.

As we begin our next phase, we are tapping into the depth of learnings from launching in a robust market like Nigeria, and leveraging that to build locally-adapted digital products as we launch swiftly into more African countries. We see ourselves as an innovation leader in this space, as our teams are drawn from some of the most reputable institutions in the world, and backed by top-tier VCs from across Europe and the U.S.

Whether you’re building roads, bridges, housing estates, commercial buildings in the private and public sector, Builder 360™ has everything you need to take your construction projects and business to the next level.

Visit our website today at www.cinderbuild.com or reach us on support@cinderbuild.com, +2347001236202.

Yellow Card And MoonPay Partner to Drive Crypto Accessibility in Nigeria

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Yellow Card, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges on the African continent, has partnered with MoonPay, a global leader in the cryptocurrency ecosystem, to drive crypto accessibility in Nigeria.

This strategic partnership is geared towards enabling Nigerians to engage in peer-to-peer crypto transactions with unprecedented ease, as well as eliminating the barriers that prevent them from participating in the crypto economy.

Yellow Card, one the largest cryptocurrency exchanges on the African continent with operations across 16 countries, offers a crypto exchange, easy cross-border payments powered by crypto, and an API suite for companies to on-and-off-ramp anyone on the continent and abroad.

Yellow Card strives to bring financial inclusion to everyone in Africa. The crypto exchange’s strategic partnership with MoonPay signifies a turning point in the accessibility and usability of cryptocurrencies within the region.

Speaking on the company’s recent partnership with MoonPay, West Africa Regional Manager at Yellow Card, Uzoma James said,

At the core of our company’s mission is the belief that everyone should have access to the power and potential of cryptocurrencies. By joining forces with MoonPay, we aim to eliminate the barriers that prevent Nigerians from participating in the crypto economy. Together, we can help make crypto trading easy, intuitive, and available to all”.

On the other hand, MoonPay, a crypto exchange that offers a fast and simple way to buy and sell cryptocurrencies, has established itself as a frontrunner in the cryptocurrency industry, offering a comprehensive suite of solutions that simplify the onboarding process for newcomers to the crypto world.

With the recent partnership with Yellow Card, the crypto exchange is poised to extend its reach into the Nigerian market, catering to the specific needs and challenges faced by the local population.

Co-founder and CEO at MoonPay, Ivan Soto-Wright said,

Supporting local bank transfers unlocks immense opportunities for crypto users, and we’re eager to introduce this experience to Yellow Card’s fast-growing ecosystem. Offering a simple, inclusive transaction method for users across Africa is an exciting step forward in our vision to onboard the world to Web3”.

Yellow Card and Moon Pay strategic collaboration seeks to enhance the use of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies among Nigerians, to overcome transaction delays and drive business growth.

Leveraging local bank transfers, users can eliminate many of the obstacles that have traditionally hindered the crypto purchasing process.

Despite the restriction of crypto trading in Nigeria, the country has emerged as a powerhouse in the African cryptocurrency landscape, with increasing numbers of individuals turning to digital assets to hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty.

As the cryptocurrency landscape continues to evolve, the power of digital currencies empowers individuals and offers financial opportunities even in the most challenging circumstances.

South African Payment Service Provider Stitch Launches no Code Payment Links Solution For Small Businesses

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Stitch, a payments service provider that offers a single, powerful and reliable API built on direct integrations with multiple banks and networks across South Africa, has launched a no-code payments solution, known as “WigWag”, for small businesses.

As Stitch solidifies its focus on building solutions for enterprise businesses with complex payment needs, the company realized it was only solving part of the payments problem, which spurred it to roll out WigWag.

The launch of WigWag will enable small and growing businesses to begin the acceptance of local and international card payments in minutes, without the need for a website or developer resources.

All that they simply need to do is to send a unique payment link to customers in a chat or email. Customers open it, put in their card details, and make payments.

Speaking on the launch of WigWag, the company’s product manager, Danielle Laity said,

“At Stitch, we realize payments aren’t one size fits all. Small businesses require access to simple, out-of-the-box tools that can make it easier and faster to collect payments. We created WigWag specifically with these small business clients in mind. Now anyone can have access to reliable payments, powered by Stitch API, and offer their customers a truly seamless experience”.

With WigWag, growing businesses can accept local and international card payments, without a website, developers, or even a POS machine. They can simply tell customers “WigWag me!” and send a unique payment link in any chat or via email.

Businesses can track pending payments and reconcile all transactions via the dashboard. They can also easily collect delivery details as part of the payment process, to track where they need to send goods upon payment.    

Every month, these businesses receive an invoice from WigWag. The invoice is a summary of their past months on the platform. The invoice provides details on; The total payments received each day, The processing fees charged, The VAT on those fees, and Payouts businesses made to themselves.

Transactions on WigWag are safe and secure, as all transactions are made through the platform 3D-secure, which requires customers to do a multi-factor Authentication (MFA) to complete a purchase.

Founded in February 2021, Stitch is a payments infrastructure company that helps businesses scale faster, and operate more efficiently.

The Stitch payments API and tools reduce the effort required for businesses across sectors to connect to the financial system and deliver delightful experiences for their users.

The startup has raised a total of US$27 million in Funding and has offices in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Lagos.

Stitch is backed by leading investment firms, such as 500 Global, RaliCap, Future Africa Fund, first-minute capital, CRE Venture capital, PayPal ventures, and Village Global, amongst other founders and early builders from some of the most successful fintech companies in the world.

Squid, Mountain Protocol, FTX, Celsius, Polygon Labs and other Market News

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Squid, a decentralized exchange (DEX) platform that allows users to trade tokens across different blockchains, has announced a new feature that enables direct swaps between Cosmos and Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatible chains. This means that users can now swap tokens from networks like Terra, Binance Smart Chain, Polygon and others without going through intermediaries or bridges.

Squid’s direct swap feature is powered by the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol, which is a standard that allows different blockchains to communicate and transfer value with each other. IBC is the core innovation of the Cosmos network, which aims to create an internet of blockchains that can interoperate seamlessly.

By integrating IBC, Squid can offer users a fast, secure and low-cost way to swap tokens across different ecosystems. Users can simply connect their wallets to Squid and select the tokens they want to swap from a list of supported chains. Squid will then automatically route the swap through the IBC protocol and execute it in a single transaction.

Squid claims that its direct swap feature is the first of its kind in the DEX space, and that it will open up new possibilities for cross-chain liquidity and interoperability. Squid also plans to add more chains and tokens to its platform in the future, as well as other features such as liquidity pools, governance and staking.

According to Gracy Chen, the managing director of Bitget, a global cryptocurrency exchange platform, the regulatory environment for crypto assets is likely to become stricter in the near future. She believes that the Know Your Customer (KYC) process, which requires crypto users to verify their identity and source of funds, will be more rigorous and comprehensive as governments seek to prevent money laundering, tax evasion and other illicit activities involving cryptocurrencies.

Chen says that Bitget has been complying with the KYC standards of different jurisdictions and has been working closely with regulators to ensure a safe and transparent trading environment for its customers. She also advises crypto investors to be aware of the potential risks and challenges that may arise from the changing regulatory landscape and to choose a reliable and compliant exchange platform that can protect their interests and assets.

Mountain Protocol, a decentralized platform for creating and managing synthetic assets, has announced the launch of its yield-bearing stablecoin, MTS. The stablecoin is backed by a basket of cryptocurrencies and can be minted or burned by users through the protocol’s smart contracts. MTS holders can also earn passive income by staking their tokens in the protocol’s liquidity pools.

In addition to launching MTS, Mountain Protocol has also revealed that it has raised $10 million in a private funding round led by prominent investors and funds in the crypto space. The fundraise will help the protocol expand its team, develop new features and integrations, and grow its user base and community. Mountain Protocol aims to become a leading platform for synthetic asset creation and trading, offering users exposure to a wide range of assets across different markets and sectors.

Celsius, the leading platform for earning and borrowing digital assets, has announced the formation of a new board of directors to oversee its global expansion and governance. The board will include prominent figures from the fields of finance, technology and blockchain, such as former Algorand COO Sean Ford, former WeWork CFO Artie Minson, and former UBS Group Americas CEO Robert Wolf. The board will also include Celsius founder and CEO Alex Mashinsky, as well as two independent directors to be appointed in the near future.

FTX, the cryptocurrency exchange founded by Sam Bankman-Fried, has revealed some of its assets in a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). According to the document, FTX owns $1.2 billion worth of SOL, the native token of the Solana blockchain, which is one of the fastest-growing platforms in the crypto space. FTX also owns a property in the Bahamas, valued at $8 million, which serves as its headquarters. The filing shows that FTX has a diversified portfolio of assets, both digital and physical, that reflect its vision and strategy in the crypto industry.

Polygon Labs, a leading blockchain technology company, has sent a letter to the US Senate Finance Committee, urging them to reconsider their proposed tax legislation on cryptocurrency transactions. The letter argues that the bill would stifle innovation and economic growth in the emerging sector and compares the situation to the early days of the internet, when lawmakers supported the development of online platforms and services.

The letter also uses an analogy of an apple orchard to illustrate the difference between cryptocurrency and traditional assets. It explains that while an apple orchard produces apples that can be sold for income, a cryptocurrency network produces tokens that are used to power the network and enable transactions. Therefore, taxing cryptocurrency tokens as income would be like taxing the apples before they are harvested, which would discourage investment and maintenance of the orchard.

Polygon Labs hopes that the senators will take their letter into account and amend the bill to provide more clarity and fairness for the cryptocurrency industry. The company believes that blockchain technology has the potential to transform various sectors of the economy and society, and that the US should not miss this opportunity to become a global leader in this field.

The cryptocurrency market experienced a sharp drop on Tuesday, as Bitcoin fell below $25850 for the first time in nearly a month. The decline was triggered by speculation that FTX, one of the largest crypto exchanges, might sell some of its holdings to fund its recent acquisitions and expansion plans. FTX has denied any plans to sell its crypto assets, but investors remain cautious about the potential impact of such a move on the market liquidity and sentiment.

Instacart’s IPO valuation. Instacart, which was valued at a whopping $39 billion in a 2021 fundraising round, is now targeting a more modest valuation of $8.6 billion in its upcoming IPO. That’s according to the Wall Street Journal, which notes that the online delivery app’s upcoming listing on the Nasdaq exchange (under the ticker CART) will nonetheless be “a bellwether for the IPO market.” (Fortune)