In the midst of Africa’s economic transformation, half of its population resides in countries that have thrived on the continent. With abundant human capital and natural resources, Africa possesses the potential to accelerate productivity and redefine its economic growth, which is more crucial than ever for global welfare.

A recent report by Mckinsey & Company sheds light on the rapidly evolving landscape of Web 3.0 technologies in African countries. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of their impact, opportunities, challenges, and offers recommendations to foster growth and achieve measurable impact. Notably, the report highlights a staggering 1,668% increase in investment in blockchain technology in Africa between 2021 and 2022.

The findings underscore the immense opportunities that arise from the adoption of Web 3.0 technologies across the African continent. Blockchain, in particular, has experienced a significant surge in investment, signifying growing confidence in its potential to revolutionize various sectors. This substantial increase demonstrates the recognition of blockchain’s ability to drive innovation, transparency, and efficiency in African economies.

The statement accompanying the report emphasizes the critical importance of collaboration between industry stakeholders, policymakers, and regulators in creating an environment conducive to the growth of Web 3.0 technologies. By fostering partnerships and encouraging dialogue, Africa can leverage the transformative power of blockchain and other emerging technologies to drive sustainable development and address pressing challenges.

As Africa’s digital landscape evolves, the adoption of Web 3.0 technologies holds the key to unlocking the continent’s untapped potential. Embracing blockchain and other disruptive technologies can fuel inclusive growth, enhance financial inclusion, improve governance systems, and empower individuals and communities across Africa.

The future looks promising as Africa positions itself at the forefront of the global blockchain revolution. With concerted efforts and collaborative initiatives, the continent can chart a path towards economic prosperity, leveraging the transformative capabilities of Web 3.0 technologies for the betterment of its people and the world at large.

Swift, the global provider of secure financial messaging services, is actively exploring blockchain interoperability to address the challenges faced by institutional investors when dealing with tokenized assets. These investments are tracked on various blockchain networks that lack interoperability, resulting in significant overhead and friction. To tackle this issue and promote long-term scalability in the market, Swift is collaborating with major financial institutions and FMIs to test the seamless transfer of tokenized value across different blockchain networks using existing Swift infrastructure. The experiments will be facilitated by Chainlink, a prominent Web3 services platform.

According to Swift’s recent press release, the rise of tokenized assets has attracted institutional investors who seek new value opportunities. However, the lack of interoperability among blockchain networks poses complexities for managing and trading these assets. Swift recognizes the importance of overcoming this fragmentation to enhance market scalability. By leveraging its community and infrastructure, Swift aims to remove friction from tokenized asset settlement and contribute to a seamless and efficient investment ecosystem.

Partnership with Leading Institutions: In collaboration with more than a dozen major financial institutions and FMIs, Swift will conduct a series of experiments to explore the potential of using its existing infrastructure to facilitate the transfer of tokenized value across diverse blockchain networks. Participants in this initiative include Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ), BNP Paribas, BNY Mellon, Citi, Clearstream, Euroclear, Lloyds Banking Group, SIX Digital Exchange (SDX), and The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC). Chainlink will provide the necessary connectivity across public and private blockchains for these experiments.

These new experiments build upon successful trials conducted by Swift in 2022. The aim is to not only enhance operational efficiency but also address potential operational and regulatory challenges that financial institutions may encounter in blockchain environments. By streamlining operations and settlement processes, blockchain technology has the potential to attract more investors to private markets, increasing liquidity and reducing costs associated with legacy systems.

While the potential of blockchain technology in generating efficiencies and reducing costs is widely recognized in the capital markets, the lack of interoperability remains a barrier to its widespread adoption. Swift’s exploration of blockchain interoperability highlights its commitment to removing friction in international transactions and fostering the growth of the tokenized asset market. By enabling financial institutions to interact seamlessly with various blockchain networks, Swift aims to enhance trust, security, and convenience in the trading of traditional and tokenized assets alike.

Amidst ongoing political and economic instability, Iraq is witnessing a growing interest in harnessing the power of blockchain technology as a catalyst for social change and innovation. As a decentralized and transparent ledger system, blockchain offers promising solutions for a range of applications, including cryptocurrencies, smart contracts, digital identity, and supply chain management.

However, the adoption of blockchain in Iraq faces significant hurdles, both technical and legal. Challenges on the technical front include frequent power outages, limited internet penetration, and inadequate infrastructure, hindering widespread access and usability of blockchain platforms. On the legal side, Iraq lacks a comprehensive regulatory framework for blockchain and cryptocurrencies, leading to uncertainties and risks for users and developers.

According to a recent Deloitte report, Iraq ranks among the countries with the lowest level of blockchain readiness in the Middle East, primarily due to weak institutions, limited innovation capacity, and high political risk. The report emphasizes the need for regulators, including central banks, to embrace cryptocurrencies and work towards developing a suitable regulatory environment that minimizes risks while maximizing opportunities.

With a GDP per capita of $4,452 in 2020, placing it 133rd among 190 countries, Iraq also struggles with financial inclusion, as only 23% of adults hold accounts with financial institutions or mobile money service providers. Blockchain adoption and regulation in the country are still in their early stages.

At present, Iraq lacks specific legislation or authority governing the use of blockchain or cryptocurrencies. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has not provided official guidance on their legal status or treatment, merely cautioning the public about associated risks such as volatility, fraud, money laundering, and terrorism financing.

Nonetheless, efforts are underway to promote blockchain awareness and education in Iraq. The Iraqi Blockchain Society, for instance, organizes events, workshops, and hackathons to introduce blockchain concepts and use cases to the public. Some notable blockchain projects have also emerged, including ZainCash, a mobile wallet utilizing blockchain technology for secure money transfers, and Taqanu, a digital identity platform aimed at providing banking services to refugees and displaced individuals.

However, these initiatives encounter various obstacles, such as censorship, hacking, and violence. During the protests in 2019 and 2020, activists turned to blockchain platforms like Ethereum and Steemit to document human rights violations, only to face cyberattacks allegedly orchestrated by pro-government forces with external support.

The potential of blockchain to improve Iraq’s social and economic conditions is evident, but it requires a supportive and enabling environment to flourish. This necessitates collaboration and dialogue among the government, civil society, private sector, and international partners to develop a legal framework that recognizes and regulates blockchain technology transparently and fairly. Investments in infrastructure, education, and security are also crucial to ensure accessible, reliable, and secure blockchain platforms for all users.

Iraq must prioritize the development of clear and comprehensive legislation on blockchain to address challenges and risks while promoting the growth and adoption of this transformative technology. Such legislation should define the legal status of blockchain and digital assets, establish rights and obligations of users and regulators, provide guidelines for security, privacy, and compliance, and create incentives and support mechanisms for innovation and education.

By embracing blockchain and enacting appropriate legislation, Iraq has the potential to harness the transformative power of this technology, enhancing its economic, social, and political landscape and positioning itself as a regional leader in the blockchain revolution.