Minisend has been named an Official Payment Partner of the Africa Blockchain Festival 2026. With only 23 days left, this upcoming event intends to make a mark in Kenya and also be the bridge between an investor and a groundbreaking idea.
The festival’s theme, “Capital, Code, and Continuity: Building Africa’s Permanent Digital Economy,” focuses on the three core aspects of Africa’s blockchain ecosystem, which are its builder community, capital, and regulation.
As a live stablecoin settlement platform. Minisend intends to supercharge the developer workshop as well as its Fellowship program with hands-on access to its cross-chain payment APIs.
Kenya’s Mobile Money Culture Sets the Stage for Stablecoin Adoption
In 2024, Kenya alone processed approximately $3.3 billion in stablecoin transactions, ranking fifth globally in stablecoin transactional use and fourth in Africa for stablecoin receipts. At the same time, M-Pesa, which holds 89.1% of Kenya’s mobile money market, handled 46.41 billion transactions worth KSh 41.68 trillion in the fiscal year 2025/26.
“Kenya represents exactly the type of market where the next phase of blockchain adoption can take place. People are already comfortable sending, receiving, and paying digitally. What platforms, such as Minisend, are now exploring is how stablecoins can connect with that existing behavior.” said Olubunmi Fabanwo, Found
Currently, Kenyan freelancers, remote workers, and businesses all over are increasingly receiving payments in USDC or USDT but need local currency for rent, supplies, and operations. Minisend comes in by providing them with a platform to deposit stablecoins from supported chains into a unified wallet and settle directly to M-Pesa, Airtel Money, or local banks in Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, and Uganda.
Related: Kenya Airways, HarlemCLX, and XRagency Bet on Africa’s Blockchain Future
Minisend operates as a cross-chain settlement layer. Users deposit USDC or USDT from networks including Base, Celo, Polygon, and Lisk into a single wallet address. The platform handles bridging, routing, and gas fees in the background.
Settlement to M-Pesa in Kenya is reportedly near-instant, with bank and mobile money transfers in other markets completing within 5–30 minutes. The platform claims a 94.5% success rate across over 10,000 transactions in both directions, though these figures are self-reported and have not been independently audited.
The platform’s v2.0 release introduced zero-gas deposits and cashouts by sponsoring transaction fees via Coinbase Developer Platform’s Paymaster feature. Idle balances earn an advertised yield of approximately 5.7% APY. The platform has processed over $300,000 according to its official website, with 500+ unique wallets connected during its beta phase.
Minisend already has a deep network within Kenya, and with the Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) Act, Kenya’s blockchain ecosystem is about to have a steady growth rate.
As per the Act, existing operators must obtain licenses by November 4, 2026. Capital requirements vary by category: stablecoin issuers must maintain KSh 300 million (~$2.32 million) in paid-up capital, while payment processors face lower thresholds.
Minisend’s regulatory status has yet to be announced.
The regulatory framework, while creating barriers to entry, also legitimizes the sector and enables partnerships with established financial institutions. For Minisend, compliance could unlock deeper integration with mobile money providers and banks.
Fellows and Developers Gain Hands-On Access to Cross-Chain Settlement Tools
While Minisend signing up as an official partner of ABF 2026 is monumental, the real gem is what it offers to the ABF Fellowship program. The program, supported by Antler (Official Venture Partner), Launch Africa Ventures, and Hevy Hub, targets blockchain and fintech builders across Africa with a focus on stablecoins, tokenization, and financial inclusion.
Fellows will gain access to Minisend’s RESTful APIs and technical documentation, enabling them to build applications that integrate stablecoin settlement into wallets, fintech platforms, or merchant services. The platform’s API requires approximately 30 lines of code for hosted checkout integration, lowering the barrier for developers unfamiliar with blockchain infrastructure.
“At its core, Minisend is about unlocking economic freedom for creators,” said Oketch. “Creators shouldn’t struggle with broken payment rails, delayed payouts, or borders that limit their reach.”
Related: Seven Women in Web3 Are Building Africa’s Blockchain Backbone in Real Time
Stablecoins have become the main theme of 2026. It’s currently outpacing other forms of exchange thanks to remittances, cross-border business payments, and the need for dollar-denominated stores of value in volatile currency environments.
The Day 1 event at Sarit Centre will have a talk on stablecoins, CBDCs, and the future of African payments. While Minisend is not listed as an active speaker for the talk, it plays a vital role in the understanding of how stablecoins actually work and how to implement them.
The platform’s success has focused mainly on regulatory compliance, sustainable economics in a competitive landscape that includes YC-backed Partna and Tether-backed Kotani Pay, and the ability to demonstrate measurable impact for Kenyan users.
For now, Minisend’s role at Africa Blockchain Festival 2026 offers a concrete test case.
Can stablecoin infrastructure integrate seamlessly enough with existing payment systems to move beyond early adopters and serve everyday financial needs?
The answer will unfold at Sarit Expo Centre this October.
Africa Blockchain Festival 2026 takes place October 15–17 at Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. Fellowship applications are open on a rolling basis. Minisend supports settlement in Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, and Uganda. More information: africablockchainfestival.com | minisend.xyz
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