Bybit launched crypto trading challenge for Africa

Bybit launched crypto trading challenge for Africa

Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, announced the launch of Bybit P2P Africa Showdown, an exclusive trading challenge for eligible users in Africa.

The competition features a tiered reward system where participants can unlock increasingly valuable prizes based on their trading volumes. From now until July 19, 2025, the event offers participants the opportunity to win from a 1,800 USDT prize pool while competing for over 2,200 pieces of exclusive Bybit merchandise, including limited edition apparel, tote bags, tumblers and more.

To participate, traders must register for the event and complete a minimum of 50,000 USDT in eligible P2P buy orders during the campaign period. Apart from Bybit-branded merchandises, the top five traders in each currency will also take home extra USDT rewards.

Bybit P2P contributes to eliminating traditional barriers to the digital asset sphere, and connects buyers and sellers directly via its user-friendly trading platform. It offers enhanced privacy, KYC and security infrastructure, greater control over transaction terms, and access to local payment methods that may not be available through conventional service providers. For African traders, Bybit P2P supports local currency transactions and payment preferences, making digital assets more accessible to users across diverse financial ecosystems.

The event is exclusive for eligible Bybit’s P2P users in Africa only. In-scope currencies include: Nigerian Naira (NGN), Kenyan Shilling (KES), Ghanaian Cedi (GHS), West African CFA Franc (XOF), and Central African CFA Franc (XAF).

UAE Phoenix Group mined 350 Bitcoins in Q1 of 2025

UAE Phoenix Group mined 350 Bitcoins in Q1 of 2025

Phoenix Group PLC (ADX: PHX), a global cryptocurrency, blockchain, and digital asset infrastructure company announced its financial and operational results for the first quarter of 2025 and reported a consolidated revenue of $31 million for Q1 2025 mining over 350 Bitcoins in Q1.

Phoenix Group mined over 350 Bitcoins in Q1, which includes 222 Bitcoins that were self-mined. The opening of new facilities in the US and Ethiopia is expected to increase this capacity in Q3 and beyond.

Gross mining margins improved to 30%, up from 24% in Q4 2024, supported by operational efficiencies and energy optimization initiatives. The Company reported gross profit of $6.3 million, while operating expenses totaled $9 million, reflecting increased costs associated with scaling operations globally. The Company also reported an unrealized EBITDA loss in Q1, driven by a decline in digital asset prices and global macroeconomic factors. These assets have already begun to rebound in Q2, and a continued recovery is expected to return these assets to profitability by Q3 2025. its revenue dropped by 54.7% to $31.3 million in Q1 2025, compared to $68.9 million in Q1 2024, according to its financial statements.

The company also announced that it is moving forward with its expansion plans and aims to secure top 5 position in Bitcoin mining and AI Data centers by 2026. Currently it is one of the top 10.


As global demand for power increases, forecasters predict a power shortage by 2027. In response, Phoenix Group continues to acquire more land sites with power contracts, enabling it to enhance its assets and Bitcoin mining capabilities while also integrating and capitalizing on the upcoming demand for AI and data centers by introducing a new business vertical and profit center.

HPC and AI-driven advancement offer Phoenix Group a key diversification avenue beyond crypto mining, with the company strategically positioned to leverage this by dedicating a portion of an existing site in the US for prototype setup and completing a feasibility study. In addition, Phoenix continues to scout for new sites in the US as a priority region for its expansion plans.


Following the end of the quarter, the Group successfully energized its 20 megawatt Texas site, taking Phoenix’s global operational capacity to over 500 megawatts across five countries. The Texas facility, built over 4.3 acres and energized within three months, adds 3,990 hydro-cooled miners contributing approximately 1.2 EH/s to Phoenix’s hash rate.

In addition to the Texas deployment, Phoenix advanced its recent international expansion with growth at its Ethiopian site, where it secured an additional 52 megawatts of mining capacity, to be developed in two phases. Phase 1, which has been energized, will deliver 20 megawatts of capacity and Phase 2 (32 megawatts) remains on track for completion by the end of Q2 2025.

This expansion increases the Company’s total operational capacity in the country to 132 megawatts, setting a new benchmark for sustainable mining in Africa and delivering large-scale operations in energy-rich regions.

Munaf Ali, CEO and Co-Founder of Phoenix Group, commented, “Phoenix Group’s position as a top 10 global Bitcoin miner, underpinned by our strategic site locations in Canada, Ethiopia, Oman, the UAE, and the U.S., provides us inherent resilience to market fluctuations. We are not just weathering the current sector-wide pressures but actively accelerating our expansion. This momentum will carry through 2025 and 2026 as we aggressively build out the capacity needed to meet the inevitable surge in demand for power required by Bitcoin mining and AI data centers. Phoenix Group is strategically poised to be a primary enabler of this digital transformation.”

“The launch of our Texas facility strengthens our operational base in North America while reinforcing our industry-leading mining infrastructure and global diversification strategy. Texas is one of the most mining-friendly jurisdictions in the U.S. and our progress there builds on the operational momentum we’ve delivered recently following our expansion in Ethiopia. We remain committed to scaling efficiently, maintaining cost leadership, generating value and positioning Phoenix to capture opportunities as market dynamics evolve.”


The Company’s mining operations delivered an average of 14.2 EH/s in Q1 2025, maintaining its competitive global share of network hash rate. Mining efficiency improved 17% to 25.4 joules per terahash (J/TH) following the deployment of next-generation miners across key sites in the U.S. and Ethiopia.

Phoenix continues to fund its growth strategy through a disciplined capital allocation approach, supported by liquidity reserves and a strong balance sheet and no expansion debt on its books, enabling the Company to execute growth without compromising financial flexibility.

UAE mobile gaming platform Rise of Fearless launches

UAE mobile gaming platform Rise of Fearless launches

Rise of Fearless, a UAE mobile gaming platform that merges African storytelling with immersive battle royale gameplay, has officially launched targeting over 680 million mobile users in an industry projected to reach a value of $3.72 billion by 2029.

Rise of Fearless is now available on the Apple App Store and on Google Play in its early release phase with plans to expand to other platforms.

Rise of Fearless offers intense, skill-based battle royale combat that is deeply rooted in Africa’s heritage and history – inspired by Ethiopia’s victory at the Battle of Adwa. The game launches as a free-to-play mobile experience to ensure accessibility to a broad audience.

As part of its future roadmap, Rise of Fearless plans to integrate Web3 technology and allow players to own in-game assets, earn rewards, and participate in a secure digital economy. The move to blockchain will empower African gamers with new financial opportunities, especially in regions with limited access to traditional banking.

The African gaming industry is growing at 12 percent annually outpacing global averages.

Rise of Fearless will utilize open-source smart contracts in its Web3 phase, giving players full ownership of in-game items, such as weapons, skins, and rewards. The blockchain-based system will create a fair, transparent, and financially rewarding gaming experience.

Kanessa Muluneh, founder of Rise of Fearless, noted, “As an Ethiopian-born entrepreneur in Dubai, I have experienced how the UAE’s ecosystem empowers changemakers and connects countries and cultures with gaming communities. We have invested significantly in developing Rise of Fearless and are now raising USD 700,000 to expand the game, enhance gameplay, and transition to Web3. This funding will allow us to build a blockchain-powered gaming ecosystem where players can truly own their digital assets and unlock new financial opportunities for gamers across Africa. With this expansion, Rise of Fearless will not only push the boundaries of African gaming but also drive knowledge transfer, job creation, and social impact in one of the fastest-growing gaming markets in the world.”

Morocco’s Bank Al Maghrib Director says crypto regulation now at Ministry of Economy to oversee adoption process

Morocco’s Bank Al Maghrib Director says crypto regulation now at Ministry of Economy to oversee adoption process

At Gitex Africa 2025, the General Director of Bank Al Maghrib, Mr. Abderrahim Bouazza noted that the crypto draft law is now at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, who will then submit it to a technical committee to oversee its adoption process.

In his speech he emphasized that the technology underlying crypto assets could be utilized to develop fintech services. Bank Al Magrib had announced in 2022 that it was close to finalizing its crypto regulatory framework. Then on December 20th 2024, the Central Bank of Morocco represented by its governor Abdellatif Jouahri announced that the draft crypto bill to regulate the use of cryptocurrencies was ready. Jouahri stressed that the full draft is ready to put in place a proper regulatory framework.

Boazza was discussing Morocco’s plans to create an acquisition support fund for merchants to strengthen payment infrastructure. Bank Al Maghrib. He had noted, “Among the short-term actions to strengthen the payment infrastructure, BAM intends to set up an acquisition support fund to facilitate the acceptance of electronic payments by merchants.”

Noting that digital payment adoption among merchants remains low, he stated that the Central Bank aims to implement incentive measures to encourage their adoption of the electronic payment system.

“The Central Bank is working on implementing more attractive pricing for electronic payments by lowering interchange fees, including those for bank cards, while also considering making cash usage more restrictive in the medium term. These actions will be carried out as part of a broader strategy for the digitalization of payments and fintech development, stemming from a rigorous and thorough diagnostic,” he continued.

He also discussed the introduction of CBDC digital currency or the e-dirham which could address certain challenges in the payment sector especially when it comes to the utilization of cash, but noting that this would require alot of time.

He noted, “The success of this project would depend on how the public perceives the digital currency. It would need to be as credible and accessible as physical cash.”

Chainalysis shared an excerpt from its upcoming 2024 Geography of Cryptocurrency report covering the MENA region and noting that MENA is the seventh largest crypto market globally in 2024 with the biggest two crypto countries being Turkey and Morocco.

The Hashgraph Association and DAR Blockchain develop 44 projects in Tunisia

The Hashgraph Association and DAR Blockchain develop 44 projects in Tunisia

The Dar Blockchain and The Hashgraph Association Academic Program since its inception in 2024 has achieves strong targets to increase blockchain education in Tunisia.

In a LinkedIn post, DAR Blockchain announced that they have registered 5,000 students issued 1,200 certifications, carried out two major hackathons and developed 44 blockchain projects.

The participants in these educational courses and hackathons were not just limited to Tunisian participants but also included 11 other countries from more than 50 universities.

DAR Blockchain noted, “This program is accelerating blockchain adoption and shaping the future of Web3 in Africa. We’re just getting started.”

Tunisia witnessed its first Hedera Hackathon in January 2024. The event was a collaborative effort between Dar Blockchain, The Hashgraph Association, ESPRIT University, and SUP’COM University. The aim of the Hackathon, backed by the Hedera Network, was to boost the adoption and understanding of Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) in the country.

The Hedera Hackathon offered tracks that include DeFi (Decentralized Finance), revolutionizing finance with accessible and secure financial services for the Tunisian and African community, DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations), reimagining organizational structures for innovative university organization management and collaboration across the country, as well as tracks on the metaverse and NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens). 

In Morocco, The Hashgraph Association, is working with Agency of Digital Development to strengthen citizen services using the Hedera DLT network and Web3 technologies. It has also partnered with Moroccan UM6P Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm and the investment arm of UM6P (Mohammed VI Polytechnique University), to develop entrepreneurship and accelerate science innovation and co-investment opportunities in Morocco and the wider Africa region.

Blockchain payments platform Due launches in UAE

Blockchain payments platform Due launches in UAE

Established in 2022, Due a UK based fintech startup using blockchain and stablecoin technology to reshape international payments has established a presence in the UAE. The company which provides borderless multi-currency accounts, global transfers / remittances and merchant acquiring for individuals and businesses announced on X that they were now live in the UAE. The post stated, ” We’re Live in the UAE! We’re launching Due in the UAE, making it easier than ever to send and receive AED all powered by stablecoins and local payment rails.”

As per the post Due will be offering easy deposits with effortless top-ups through local AED transfers, fast & affordable Payouts AED payments with low fees and instant settlement, and unique Local Virtual Accounts with dedicated AED account details to get paid locally.

The company built its platform on top of public blockchains, leveraging stablecoin liquidity markets across Europe, US, LatAm and Africa to enable accessible, fast, and cheap international money movements for clients around the world. Due’s platform is non-custodial.

It was founded by Robert Sargsian and Alex Popov. Robert previously worked at Revolut (largest neobank in Europe) where he was part of the Chief Revenue Officer team, leading new bets / special projects in Retail/Credit and Crypto and helping shape the company’s global Crypto strategy.

UAE regulated stablecoin environment

The UAE is the first country in MENA region to regulate stablecoins through its Central Bank. It allows AED stablecoins to be used as a legal tender, while other virtual stablecoins once regulated can be used for the purchase of virtual assets.

So far one AED stablecoin has been regulated, the AE Coin.

UAE Phoenix Group joins crypto miners in Ethiopia

UAE Phoenix Group joins crypto miners in Ethiopia

UAE based Phoenix Group PLC (ADX:PHX), has expanded its operations into the burgeoning African market with the acquisition of an 80-megawatt (MW) power purchase agreement (PPA) in Ethiopia. This landmark deal, forged in partnership with Abu Dhabi-based cybersecurity firm Data7, marks a significant step in Phoenix Group’s global diversification strategy. It secures a reliable and sustainable energy source to fuel its long-term growth and underscores a commitment to responsible digital asset infrastructure development.

The new Ethiopian site, slated for energization in Q2 2025, will dramatically enhance Phoenix Group’s operational capacity, significantly increasing the exahash rate of its rapidly expanding mining portfolio. This move solidifies Phoenix Group’s position as one of the world’s largest Bitcoin miners and reinforces its commitment to scaling operations and delivering cutting-edge, globally distributed digital asset infrastructure. Phoenix Group is poised to build on this momentum, with further announcements of new sites and increased capacity in 2025, including continued expansion in Ethiopia and a strategic entry into the South American market.

“This 80MW expansion in Ethiopia, on the heels of our North Dakota site announcement, is a powerful testament to Phoenix Group’s accelerating global momentum,” said Munaf Ali, CEO of Phoenix Group. “We are aggressively building out our mining capabilities, and this added capacity further solidifies our position as one of the world’s largest Bitcoin miners, fueling our growth trajectory as we prepare for our listing on Nasdaq. We’re not just expanding our operations; we’re strategically positioning ourselves at the forefront of a financial revolution where cryptocurrencies will play a central role in creating a more inclusive and dynamic global economy.”

Reza Nejatian, CEO of Global Mining Operations at Phoenix Group, added: “This project in Ethiopia, significantly increasing our exahash rate, is a clear signal of our ambition to not just participate in, but to lead, the global Bitcoin mining landscape. Ethiopia’s emergence as a key crypto-mining hub provides the perfect platform for our continued expansion, and this is just the first phase of our growth in the country. Our strategic partnership with Data7, enabling the deployment of the latest S21 Hydros, underscores our commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to maximize efficiency and solidify our competitive advantage. And our ambitions extend beyond Africa; we’re actively preparing to launch operations in South America in 2025, further diversifying our global footprint. This is how we execute on a global scale, and this is how we build the future of decentralized finance.”

Earlier this month, UAE Phoenix Group launched its 50MW mining facility in North Dakota in the USA. Fully operational, the site will contribute an impressive addition of more than 2.7 exahashes (EH) to Phoenix’s global hash rate. This is an initial step in expanding Phoenix Group’s UAE mining capabilities and investments in the United States.

Ethiopia is a growing crypto mining Hub

Ethiopia and its local Bitcoin mining operations account for 2.5% of global hashrate. Bitcoin miner Kassa stated, “Bitcoin miners in Ethiopia now command 2.5% of the global hash-rate. If trends continue, according to Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP), this will more than double within one year.”

Ethan Vera, co-founder and COO of Luxor Mining, had previously noted that the EEP reports local operations already consuming 600 MW of power. By the end of 2024, that number could rise to 1 gigawatt, representing as much as 7% of the global Bitcoin network’s hashrate.

Companies like Bitmain-backed BitFuFu have acquired large mining operations in Ethiopia. In addition BIT Mining has also recently entered the Ethiopian market, acquiring a 51 MW Bitcoin mine and 17,869 mining rigs for $14.3 million. While, Matthew Sigel, Head of Digital Assets Research at VanEck Investment firm speaking on CNBC SquakBox noted that three new BRIC members, Argentina, UAE, and Ethiopia had begun mining Bitcoin using government resources

In November 2024, Ethiopia Electric Power (EEP), a state-owned utility, signed power purchase agreements with 25 bitcoin mining companies. These bitcoin companies are using Ethiopia’s surplus renewable energy from The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a 6,450 MW hydropower project nearing completion on the Blue Nile in Ethiopia, located about 30 km upstream of the border with Sudan.

UAE Hodler Investments entering Ethiopia to provide energy for data centers

UAE Hodler Investments, a UAE based investment companywhich includes in its portfolio energy, AI, and digital asset mining startups such as PermianChain, Brox Equity, NEXGEN, and others; and GCL Energy Investment, subsidiary of GCL Group (Golden Concord Group), a leading Chinese integrated energy service provider that specializes in clean energy and new energy, with diversified development of related industries, have partnered to develop a distributed energy infrastructure project to power next generation distributed compute cluster data centers that are hosting AI, Blockchain and other applications.

Ethiopia accounts for 2.5 percent of Bitcoin mining hashrate

Ethiopia accounts for 2.5 percent of Bitcoin mining hashrate

Ethiopia and its local Bitcoin mining operations now account for 2.5% of global hashrate. Bitcoin miner Kassa stated, “Bitcoin miners in Ethiopia now command 2.5% of the global hash-rate. If trends continue, according to Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP), this will more than double within one year.”

Ethan Vera, co-founder and COO of Luxor Mining, had previously noted that the EEP reports local operations already consuming 600 MW of power. By year-end, that number could rise to 1 gigawatt, representing as much as 7% of the global Bitcoin network’s hashrate.

Ethiopia’s 2.5% contribution to the global Bitcoin hash rate would place it among the top five Bitcoin mining nations, joining established leaders like the United States, China, and the Czech Republic.

Companies like Bitmain-backed BitFuFu have acquired large mining operations in Ethiopia. In addition BIT Mining has also recently entered the Ethiopian market, acquiring a 51 MW Bitcoin mine and 17,869 mining rigs for $14.3 million.

Matthew Sigel, Head of Digital Assets Research at VanEck Investment firm speaking on CNBC SquakBox noted that three new BRIC members, Argentina, UAE, and Ethiopia had begun mining Bitcoin using government resources

In November 2024, Ethiopia Electric Power (EEP), a state-owned utility, signed power purchase agreements with 25 bitcoin mining companies. These bitcoin companies are using Ethiopia’s surplus renewable energy from The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a 6,450 MW hydropower project nearing completion on the Blue Nile in Ethiopia, located about 30 km upstream of the border with Sudan.

Moroccan Central Bank says crypto regulations in adoption phase

Moroccan Central Bank says crypto regulations in adoption phase

The Moroccan Central Bank’s governor Abdellatif Jouahri announced on November 26th that the digital asset/crypto regulation law has been prepared and is in the adoption phase.


The Moroccan Central Bank also known as Bank Al Maghrib worked on its crypto and digital asset’s regulation alongside the World Bank and IMF (International Monetary Fund).


Despite the lack of crypto regulations in Morocco, it is one of the fastest growing crypto markets both globally and in the MENA region. As Per Chainalysis’ Geography of Cryptocurrency report for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in 2024, Morocco ranked 20th worldwide for crypto adoption. In addition, Morocco received the highest crypto transaction value of MENA’s African bloc comparing it to Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia.


The report for 2024 noted, “MENA includes two countries ranked in the top 30 of the global crypto adoption indexes: Türkiye (11th) and Morocco (27th), capturing $137 billion and $12.7 billion of value received, respectively.”
The announcement was made during the High-Level Regional Symposium on Financial Stability.


Jouahri noted, “Bank Al-Maghrib has prepared, with the participation of all stakeholders and with the support of the World Bank, a draft law governing crypto assets which is currently in the adoption process.”


He also mentioned that work in CBDCs ( Central Bank Digital Currencies) and the work the Moroccan government is doing in this domain especially as CBDCs can increase financial inclusion.


He added, “We launched the MDBC project more than three years ago with the aim of anticipating and guiding the strategic choices and decisions of Bank Al-Maghrib in this area. The project also aims to strengthen our capacities and expertise on this complex and multidimensional subject.


The Central Bank of Morocco considers this a long-term undertaking, and has impact on the monetary policy and financial stability.
Earlier this year, Morocco announced its Moroccan digital 2030 strategy to continue $10.35 billion to GDP. As per the strategy, the country seeks to create 240,000 jobs in the digital sector by 2030, which it expects will contribute 100 billion dirhams ($10.36 billion dollars) to the country’s gross domestic product while increasing digital export revenues to 40 billion dirhams ($4.15 billion).
The Moroccan Agency for Digital Development (ADD) will play a central role in supporting the digitalization of public administrations according to the head of the government, while a unified digital portal will standardize administrative procedures across various stages.

Yellow Card receives crypto asset provider license in South Africa

Yellow Card receives crypto asset provider license in South Africa

As stablecoin adoption surges in Africa, with sub Saharan Africa having the highest adoption rate in the world at 9.2%, Yellow Card, Africa’s leading stablecoin infrastructure provider has just been issued a crypto asset service provider in South Africa.

Commenting on the FSCA’s decision to issue the license to Yellow Card Financial South Africa, Chris Maurice, Yellow Card’s co-founder and CEO, said, “The CASP license underscores Yellow Card’s commitment to its customers in South Africa and regulatory compliance across the continent. This achievement reflects our dedication to providing secure, compliant and transformative solutions for our customers both in South Africa and across Africa.  

In South Africa alone, the number of total users of crypto assets is estimated to amount to 5.8 million people, and stablecoins have experienced growth of 50% month over month since October 2023, displacing bitcoin as the country’s most popular cryptocurrency.  Yellow Card is excited to play a pivotal role in this financial revolution in South Africa. 

Yellow Card, which launched in South Africa in 2020, has facilitated over US$3 billion in transactions in the last several years and now operates in 20 countries across the continent. The company recently completed a US$33 million Series C financing, led by Blockchain Capital and existing investors, including Polychain Capital, Valar Ventures, Third Prime Ventures, Coinbase Ventures, and Block, Inc. (Square/Cash App), reflecting strong investor confidence in its mission.   

With the recent licensing and funding, the company plans to expand its B2B offerings by enhancing its stablecoin rails, upgrading infrastructure, and advancing its B2B API and Widget. These efforts will empower businesses with seamless solutions for liquidity management and their general operations. 

The UAE as well is also well on its way to growing stablecoin usage, after the Central Bank came out with the AED Stablecoin regulations, and regulations for global stablecoin usage.