Financial institutions must embrace blockchain technology and digital assets to transform cross-border trade, enhance financial inclusion, and build resilient economies, experts have advised at the Digital Assets Summit Africa (DASA) 2025 in Accra.
Professor Tonya M. Evans, Board Director of the Digital Currency Group and Fintech Strategist, said banks and regulators should see blockchain and digital assets not as threats but as tools to serve customers more effectively.
She explained that digital assets, ranging from cryptocurrencies and stablecoins to non-fungible tokens could unlock new opportunities, including smart-contract settlements, transparent agricultural supply chains, instant cross-border payments, and programmable cash transfers for trade.
“The future is being written now, let Ghana hold the pen,” Prof. Evans told participants, urging fintechs and entrepreneurs to design Africa-specific solutions that address local challenges while ensuring cyber resilience and wallet security.
Calling for evidence-based regulation, she encouraged policymakers to study global best practices while tailoring frameworks that protect monetary sovereignty and reduce over-reliance on foreign private money.
On data-driven policy, Professor Samuel Kobina Annim, Director of the African Centre for Statistics, stressed that statistics must form the backbone of governance.
He said emerging technologies, including AI, should guide decisions on what to measure and how to evaluate trade-offs in policy design.
Mr. Robert Dzato, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Ghana, highlighted shifting demographics, noting that Africa’s younger population was placing greater trust in digital alternatives over traditional banking.
He argued that trust in the financial system must remain anchored on competence, regulation, and accountability.
Also speaking at the summit, Ms. Mimi Kufuor, CEO of Koinkoin Ghana Limited, said Africa’s demographics, inflationary pressures, and climate challenges made digital assets, particularly stablecoins, vital to building interoperable systems for continental trade.
She warned, however, that citizens must understand market volatility, taxation, and regulatory implications before investing.
“Bitcoin is risky because it is volatile, but stablecoins can protect everyday transactions from sudden fluctuations,” she said.
For his part, Mr. Todor Kostov, Corporate Finance Consultant and Board Advisor, urged African countries to prioritize innovation before regulation, pointing out that the continent must not miss out on the wide range of cryptocurrency options reshaping global finance.
The summit, brought together policymakers, fintech leaders, and academics to deliberate on the role of digital assets in accelerating Africa’s economic transformation.
