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# [KENYA / AFRICA] Africa Blockchain Festival in Nairobi: 50 Founders and Regulators Debate the Future of Digital Finance
- URL: https://businessoi.media/en/kenya-afrique-africa-blockchain-festival-a-nairobi-50-fondateurs-et-regulateurs-debattent-de-lavenir-de-la-finance-numerique-en/
- Published: 2026-10-26T02:54:46.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-26T02:54:46.000Z
- Description: First Africa Blockchain Festival in Nairobi, 15–17 October 2026: 50 founders, investor Tim Draper and regulators from Kenya, Nigeria and the AfCFTA debate stablecoins, cross-border payments and the digital trade protocol.
- Author: Emmanuel TAOCHY
- Tags: Kenya, Afrique, Tech, Fintech, Startup, Revue matinale, #en

The first Africa Blockchain Festival closed on **17 October 2026** at the Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi, after three days of discussions bringing together around 50 African startup founders, venture capital investors — including American investor Tim Draper — and regulators from across the continent.

## Closed-door roundtables: central banks and AfCFTA at the table

The most strategically significant format was a series of closed roundtables that brought together the **Central Bank of Kenya**, **Nigeria's SEC** and representatives from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Three topics structured the discussions: implementation of the **digital trade protocol**, the use of stablecoins in regional payments, and low-cost cross-border payment mechanisms.

## An ecosystem maturing fast

The festival takes place against a backdrop of rapid acceleration: Africa is among the fastest-adopting continents for digital assets, driven by demand for low-cost cross-border transfers, young and connected populations, and a traditional banking sector still under-represented in rural areas. In 2026, African Web3 and fintech technologies are capturing a growing share of venture capital investment.

## Nairobi: the continent's digital finance hub

Kenya is now widely recognised as East Africa's leading technology hub, with a mature fintech startup ecosystem centred on the Silicon Savannah. Hosting this inaugural event reinforces that positioning and sends a signal to international investors: regulatory convergence in digital finance is under way across the continent.

## Why it matters

The simultaneous presence of regulators from Kenya, Nigeria and the AfCFTA at a single blockchain event is unprecedented. It signals a move towards gradual regulatory alignment — a necessary condition for stablecoins and cross-border digital payments to scale up. For decision-makers in the Indian Ocean region, this is a trend worth tracking closely.