For consumers around the globe, mobile phones have become ubiquitous—providing instant, real-time access to information, social networks, entertainment and connectivity. In Africa, the world’s second-largest mobile market behind Asia, that connectivity has super-charged the mobile money industry, with Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) now accounting for 43% of the world’s active mobile money accounts.
在 COVID-19 大流行期间，移动支付（m-payment）服务的普及速度加快，许多非洲人自然而然地将加密货币视为下一步发展的方向--它脱离了传统的银行系统，并能防止货币贬值。事实上，今年以来，随着一系列备受瞩目的数字货币、结算平台和区块链应用的推出，"加密货币 "一词在多个非洲国家的社会热度不断攀升。
SSA has been at the forefront of the mobile money industry for over a decade, largely because a growing network of fintech companies have stepped in to provide digital payment options to consumers who lack access to a formal savings account or credit. According to the Fintech Times, approximately 57% of the country’s population do not have a traditional bank account. Comparatively, the 华尔街日报 reported late last year that SSA alone is now home to nearly half of the world’s 1.04 billion registered mobile money accounts.
在非洲，移动银行服务的采用率很高，再加上非洲大陆拥有全球最年轻的人口这一事实，提高了人们对加密货币的兴趣和认识。鉴于他们是世界上最年轻的消费者，数字支付和加密货币比传统银行服务更具吸引力。对于这些移动优先的消费者来说，数字支付和加密货币提供了财务独立和自由，他们对加密货币的未来前景持乐观态度。这为电信和金融服务领域的供应商、平台和服务带来了显著的机遇。
Adoption of crypto currencies, particularly across emerging economies, has skyrocketed this year, with blockchain data company Chainalysis reporting global adoption growth of more than 2300% between Q3 2019 and Q2 2021. Africa represents the world’s smallest crypto economy (2% of global value), but the prominence of this form of money is accelerating adoption. In fact, Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, recently became the first nation on the continent to roll out its own digital currency: the eNaira.
But buzz about crypto started well before the introduction of the eNaira. Many consumers across the continent began learning about digital currencies when Senegalese-American singer and entrepreneur Akon announced plans in 2018 to build a blockchain and crypto currency-powered city in Senegal. Consequently, Akon’s “Akoin” currency that he wants to power Akon City, his planned sustainable smart city in Senegal, is among the most popular crypto topics that Nielsen has been tracking across the media landscape.
Despite the buzz about Akon and Akoin, however, Bitcoin is the most discussed crypto currency in Africa, accounting for 63% of conversations about digital currencies, followed by Ethereum (10%) and Doge (7.5%). More importantly, overall consumer sentiment about digital currencies is neutral to positive. While growing and lucrative—even sanctioned by governments—the crypto landscape is fertile for scams, with many attaching themselves to aspects of pop culture, including the recent Squid Game cryptocurrency.
As technology advances infrastructures and sustainable development, fintech will grow to play a particularly important role for emerging economies. Strategy&, PwC’s consulting business, expects cashless transaction volume in Africa to increase 78% through 2025 and then 64% between 2025 and 2030.
面对如此多的机遇，企业需要与消费者建立并保持有意义的关系，因为消费者可以有多种选择，而且选择范围越来越广。与任何营销活动一样，品牌需要向消费者证明自己的价值，努力保持消费者的忠诚度，并将消费者放在一切活动的中心位置。
