🟠 The model that defined African crypto is starting to give way

Oluwaseun Adeyanju

Good morning, it’s good to be back in your inbox.

If you’ve been paying close attention, the signals have been hard to miss. A pivot here, a shutdown there, a quiet repositioning somewhere else. On their own, they look isolated. Taken together, they point to something bigger.

It feels fitting that as we return, this is where we begin.

Because the model that defined early African crypto is starting to give way.

Across the market, companies built around trading are beginning to reposition. Some are moving toward payments and cross-border rails. Others are focusing on business-facing products. A few are stepping back from retail entirely. The shift is uneven, but it is ever so clear which way things are headed.

Our lead story this week starts with a recent development that captures this moment — and uses it to unpack what is changing, why it matters and where things may be heading next.

→ Read the full story

In focus

The shift is already taking shape in how companies are positioning themselves.

Quidax is cutting staff as it moves toward business-facing products.
Yellow Card has stepped back from retail trading to focus on B2B infrastructure.
Earlier players like BuyCoins and Onboard have already exited the exchange model.

Individually, these are strategic decisions. Seen together, they begin to outline a different center of gravity for the market.