The post Africa Leverages IOTA, Stablecoins to Unlock $70B in Trade appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.

Africa uses IOTA and stablecoins to modernize trade across 55 nations. Pilot programs in Kenya and Rwanda cut costs, paperwork, and border delays. ADAPT could unlock $70B in trade and double intra-African commerce by 2035. Africa has taken a major step toward modernizing its trade infrastructure. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat and the IOTA Foundation have launched a digital trade project to make moving goods and payments across the continent faster and easier. The Africa Digital Access and Public Infrastructure for Trade (ADAPT) project is in partnership with the Tony Blair Institute and the World Economic Forum (WEF). Its mission is to build a shared, open-source digital backbone connecting all 55 African nations by 2035. IOTA’s blockchain technology will form the backbone, while stablecoins like USDT will handle cross-border payments. Stablecoin Rails Become Africa’s Shortcut to Modern Trade The ADAPT initiative brings instant cross-border stablecoin payments, verified digital trade documents, and interoperable digital identities to Africa. Dominik Schiener, chairman of the IOTA Foundation, said the continent is moving from just fixing data issues to fully embracing digital finance. “Now that we’ve digitized and authenticated trade documents, we can focus on trade finance,” Schiener said. The system will also support tokenized commodities, critical minerals, and USDT-based payments for exporters and importers. The timing is ideal. Stablecoins now have clearer regulations in the U.S., Europe, Hong Kong, and some emerging markets. African governments see a chance to skip outdated systems and connect directly to modern payment networks. Related: BNY Mellon Launches First GENIUS Act-Compliant Money Market Fund for Stablecoin Issuers Currently, Africa loses over $25 billion a year in payment fees, plus billions more to document fraud. A typical shipment still needs 240 paper documents handled by 30 different parties, making trade slow, costly, and manual. Early Results in…

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Filed under: News - @ November 18, 2025 10:23 pm