African Blockchain Ventures See Explosive Growth
Blockchain technology is making waves across the African continent as it continues to provide fertile ground for the growth and implementation of this cutting edge technology. According to the African Blockchain Report 2022 by Crypto Valley VC, blockchain deal funding in Africa raised a whopping $474 million in 2022, representing a staggering 429% increase in African blockchain venture funding. This increase in funding for African blockchain ventures outpaced the global average of just a 4% increase in blockchain funding.
The report revealed that African blockchain financing showed a growth rate that was over 12.5 times higher than that of overall African venture financing on a year-on-year basis. Specifically, African blockchain ventures raised $474 million through 2022, reflecting a 429% increase in funding. In contrast, overall African venture funding saw a 34% increase, with $3.14 billion raised across 570 deals in the same period.
Africa experienced the highest growth in funding among all regions, with Seychelles and South Africa responsible for 81% of blockchain funding in Africa, having raised $208 million and $177 million respectively. This can be attributed to the fact that the number of African blockchain deals increased by only 12% from 26 to 29 from 26 to 29, indicating that the median deal size has increased significantly. This suggests that companies are securing more substantial funding and investors are becoming more confident in African blockchain ventures.
In the past year, Nigerian blockchain startups have raised the highest number of deals on the continent, followed by South Africa, Seychelles and Kenya. However, despite Nigeria’s high number of deals, it only accounted for 3.4% of all African blockchain funding, with an average deal size of $1.25 million.
Meanwhile, the US held steady at $15.2 billion in funding, while Asia and Europe saw year-over-year increases of 50% and 35%, respectively, with $4.74 billion and $4.88 billion in funding. African blockchain venture funding accounted for 1.77% of global blockchain venture funding, which saw an impressive 407% year-over-year increase, with several countries contributing to the increase. In comparison, the USA entered into 137 agreements, while Asia and Europe had 84 and 78 respectively.
Overall, the remarkable growth in African blockchain ventures indicates a promising future for the industry in the region. As more businesses secure larger investments, and investor confidence grows, the African blockchain industry is poised for continued success and innovation. With Nigeria leading the charge in the number of blockchain startups receiving funding, the future looks bright for African blockchain ventures.
