M-Pesa is entering its most consequential chapter since it transformed mobile payments nearly two decades ago. Through a new partnership with Abu Dhabi based ADI Foundation, the mobile money platform is integrating blockchain infrastructure directly into its operations across eight African countries. The initiative connects more than 60 million users to a regulatory compliant blockchain network designed for real world financial activity in emerging markets.

This is not a cosmetic technology upgrade. It represents a structural shift in how money moves across borders, how value is stored in volatile economies, and how individuals and small businesses access modern financial services. By embedding blockchain into an already trusted and widely adopted platform, M-Pesa is demonstrating how next generation financial infrastructure can scale without displacing the systems people already rely on.

From Mobile Money to Blockchain Rails

At the core of the partnership is the integration of ADI Chain, a high performance Layer 2 blockchain built to operate within existing regulatory and payment frameworks. The rollout will span Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Ethiopia, with initial deployments expected from early 2026.

Rather than forcing users to interact directly with unfamiliar crypto wallets or decentralized platforms, the blockchain layer operates behind the scenes. From the user perspective, M-Pesa remains M-Pesa. What changes is the speed, cost, and flexibility of transactions, particularly across borders. Settlement that once took days can be reduced to near real time. Fees that once accumulated across correspondent banks can be significantly lowered by removing unnecessary intermediaries.

What Users Gain in Practice

The blockchain integration delivers value across three core dimensions.

First, cross border payments become dramatically more efficient. Traditional international transfers are slow and fee heavy, often eroding a meaningful share of the transaction value. Blockchain based settlement reduces both time and cost, making small value transfers viable and improving liquidity for businesses.

Second, users gain access to stablecoin based transactions. The partnership includes plans for a UAE dirham backed stablecoin issued by First Abu Dhabi Bank under the supervision of the UAE Central Bank. For users in economies exposed to currency volatility, stable value digital assets provide a practical way to preserve purchasing power and transact with confidence.

Third, the new infrastructure enables expanded digital services. Once programmable money and smart settlement are available at scale, platforms like M-Pesa can offer more sophisticated financial products tailored to individuals, merchants, and small enterprises. These range from trade payments and working capital solutions to new forms of savings and digital commerce.

The Broader African Context

Africa is uniquely positioned for blockchain adoption not because of hype, but because of necessity. Roughly 42 percent of adults in sub Saharan Africa remain unbanked. Traditional financial systems have struggled to reach them due to cost, geography, and legacy infrastructure.

M-Pesa already proved that mobile technology could bypass these barriers. Since its launch in Kenya in 2007, it has enabled tens of millions of people to access basic financial services using nothing more than a mobile phone. Blockchain now adds another layer to that model, extending its reach into cross border trade, stable digital value, and institutional grade settlement.

Recent data underscores that this demand is real. Nigeria alone recorded approximately 50 billion dollars in crypto related transaction volume over a twelve month period ending mid 2024. Much of this activity is tied not to speculation, but to trade, remittances, and merchant payments. Stablecoins have increasingly become the preferred instrument for these flows because they combine global reach with price stability.

Solving the Adoption Problem Institutions Care About

Despite its promise, blockchain adoption has often stalled at the institutional level due to concerns around regulation, sovereignty, and control. ADI Chain is designed specifically to address these issues. It operates within existing payment rails, incorporates compliance frameworks aligned with local requirements, and meets security standards expected by regulators and governments.

This approach allows financial institutions to deploy blockchain capabilities without relinquishing oversight or violating national policy objectives. The planned launch of a centrally supervised UAE dirham stablecoin in early 2026 further reinforces this model, offering a clear regulatory blueprint for integrating digital assets into mainstream financial platforms.

What Comes Next

The ADI Foundation has set an ambitious target of onboarding one billion people to blockchain infrastructure by 2030, with Africa representing a significant portion of that growth. For M-Pesa, the partnership marks its most significant technological evolution since inception. The platform continues to deliver strong growth and now contributes a substantial share of profitability to its parent companies.

Sitoyo Lopokoiyit, Chief Executive Officer of M-Pesa Africa, has described the partnership as an opportunity to tap into deep expertise around new technologies and apply them in ways that meaningfully transform financial services.

The Bottom Line

This collaboration illustrates a powerful principle. The future of finance in emerging markets will not be built by replacing trusted platforms, but by enhancing them. By layering blockchain infrastructure beneath a system already used by millions, M-Pesa is accelerating access to faster payments, more stable digital value, and financial tools that were previously out of reach.

Blockchain in Africa is no longer a parallel experiment. It is becoming embedded where people already transact. The remaining question is not whether this transformation will happen, but how quickly its benefits will reach the individuals and businesses that depend on it most. Financial Tech suppliers in Africa