Kenya | Crypto

A new digital verification platform aims to reduce forged certificates by allowing employers and universities to authenticate academic records onchain. Kenya has launched a blockchain-based system for verifying academic credentials through the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), placing more than 30 million records on the Avalanche network in an effort to combat certificate fraud and make credentials easier to verify. KNEC and Avalanche announced the initiative on Monday, saying the platform is designed to address the thousands of forged academic certificates reported in the country each year. The system allows employers, universities and other institutions to verify academic credentials onchain, making records more difficult to tamper with. While the verification platform is now live, neither KNEC nor Avalanche disclosed how widely it has been adopted by students, employers or educational institutions. Read more

Kenyan regulators say no crypto firms are licensed under the new VASP Act and warn that providers claiming approval are doing so illegally. Bitcoin ATMs were spotted across major shopping malls in Nairobi days after Kenya implemented its first comprehensive cryptocurrency law, creating an immediate stress test for regulators who claim that no crypto provider is yet authorized to operate.  Local media outlet Capital News reported that several major malls across Nairobi had new machines branded “Bankless Bitcoin” installed beside traditional banking kiosks, offering cash-to-crypto services to the locals.  This isn’t the first time Kenya has seen Bitcoin ATMs. In 2018, The East African reported that ATM provider BitClub installed Bitcoin ATMs in Nairobi, although adoption remained minimal and the devices did not reach mainstream retail spaces. Read more

Kenya’s proposed 1.5% crypto transaction tax could disrupt Africa’s digital integration. As Kenya advances a 1.5% tax on every crypto transaction, the nation risks undermining its fintech leadership, driving startups and talent abroad. Opinion by: Chebet Kipingor, business operations manager at Busha As Kenya pushes forward with a revised 1.5% crypto transaction tax, it risks losing more than revenue — it could forfeit its regional fintech leadership, drive startups across borders, and fracture Africa’s digital economy before it can unify. Parliament is debating implementing the Digital Asset Tax (DAT) on every cryptocurrency transaction. While the intention to broaden the tax base is valid, the policy’s current form could deliver unintended consequences for Kenya and financial inclusion efforts across the continent. With over 450 million unbanked individuals in Africa, digital assets offer a real chance to leapfrog traditional infrastructure and extend financial services to underserved populations. This tax ...