Growing Interest in Digital Finance
The lavish conference hall of a riverside hotel in Brazzaville filled up early on October 28. Consultants BT Integral Consulting and AS Conseil Management had promised a frank conversation about the rapid rise of crypto-assets and what it could mean for the still-expanding Congolese financial sector.
Hosted by Professor Hervé Diata, the event attracted bankers, regulators, entrepreneurs, and students. “Our goal is the contribution this financial revolution can make to Congo and Africa,” the economist told the audience, setting the tone for a pragmatic discussion focused on benefits rather than hype.
Experts Detail the Technology and Risks
Keynote speaker Gilles Morisson began by clarifying the fundamentals. Crypto-assets, he said, are digital units secured by cryptography and typically settled on public blockchains. They are not legal tender, nor are they backed by a central bank, so their price fluctuations reflect pure supply and demand dynamics.
Morisson highlighted three major tokens. Bitcoin’s market capitalization briefly reached $1,995 billion in February, followed by Ethereum at $327 billion and Ripple’s XRP at $145 billion. “Such figures show the scale but also highlight the volatility,” he warned, pointing to Bitcoin’s 2021 peak and subsequent 50 percent drop as lessons.
Potential Gains for the Congolese Economy
Speakers repeatedly linked the technology to local priorities: cheaper remittances, faster settlement of cross-border trade, and new funding avenues for start-ups. Diata asked whether crypto could “reduce the intermediation costs that often burden small businesses.”
Several attending bankers agreed that asset tokenization could broaden access to credit. An entrepreneur from Pointe-Noire added that stablecoins could simplify dollar payments for oil service providers, provided compliance checks were integrated. The conversation illustrated how various sectors are already exploring pilot uses.
Regulatory Landscape in CEMAC
Participants acknowledged that enthusiasm must fit within the policy lines set by the Bank of Central African States (BEAC). Since January 2022, the regional regulator has reminded lenders that crypto-asset transactions are not yet authorized within the CEMAC monetary zone, although feasibility studies are underway.
Panelists described this position as evolving rather than hostile. “Supervisors prefer clarity before mass adoption,” noted Morisson. He referenced the distinct experience of the Central African Republic with a Bitcoin-related project as proof that the regional debate is accelerating, even if each capital will calibrate its own pace.
Beyond Volatility: Education and Infrastructure
Morisson broke down seven key themes for the largely student audience, including custody solutions, cybersecurity, anti-money laundering obligations, and the energy footprint of mining. Each point generated questions about how local universities can update curricula to prepare coders and compliance officers.
A representative from the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and the Digital Economy highlighted ongoing efforts to expand fiber coverage and data centers.