Accra: Professor Tonya M. Evans, Board Director at Digital Currency Group and Fintech Strategist, has called on financial institutions to partner with Fintech companies to experiment with blockchain technologies aimed at improving cross-border payments and trade. Speaking at the Digital Assets Summit Africa (DASA) 2025 in Accra, she emphasized the potential of digital assets as opportunities rather than threats to traditional banking, encouraging institutions to better serve their customers.
According to Ghana News Agency, the summit, themed 'Unlocking Africa's Digital Economy Through Innovation and Regulation', highlighted the importance of digital assets, which include items like images, audio files, and blockchain-based assets such as Bitcoin, virtual currencies, stablecoins, and non-fungible tokens. Prof. Evans urged policymakers to adopt evidence-based regulation by studying successful international contexts to design their own digital asset rules.
Prof. Evans further noted the potential of digital assets in unlocking smart-contract settlements and transparent supply chains in agriculture, ensuring secure value storage, and facilitating instant cross-border payments. She advocated for programmable cash transfers and efficient continental trade settlements. To address risks in the digital asset world, she recommended government measures for wallet protection, key management, cyber resilience, and regulatory clarity to foster trust and investment.
Professor Samuel Kobina Annim, Director of the African Centre for Statistics, addressed the importance of technology in conceptualizing policy design and employing AI. He emphasized the role of statistics as a foundation for policy design, advocating for data to inform policy decisions and government evaluation.
Mr. Robert Dzato, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Ghana, highlighted the shifting demographics and the need for Africa to embrace the digital space, which presents significant economic opportunities. He stressed the importance of trust in the financial sector, built on character, competence, regulation, and consequences for malpractice.
Ms. Mimi Kufuor, CEO of Koinkoin Ghana Limited, urged Africa to focus on demographics, inflation, and stablecoins, advocating interoperability for trade. She highlighted the potential of stablecoins and digital assets in Africa's changing climate and political landscape.
Mr. Todor Kostov, a Corporate Finance Consultant and Board Advisor, advised Africa to prioritize innovation in the digital assets space before regulation, noting the wide range of cryptocurrency options available.
