VALR’s Rise in Africa: Finance that Unites

VALR’s Rise in Africa: Finance that Unites – keynote by Farzam Ehsani Co-founder and CEO of VALR.com at Africa Tech Summit Nairobi 2026.

In this keynote, Farzam outlines a vision for a more unified and accessible global financial system powered by blockchain and decentralized finance. Drawing on Africa’s fragmented political and financial landscape, he highlights that digital infrastructure – rather than traditional physical systems – will drive financial integration across the continent. Positioning VALR as a major player in this shift, Farzam describes how crypto exchanges, tokenization, and decentralized technologies can unlock new investment opportunities, enable cross-border transactions, and give individuals greater control over their assets while maintaining regulatory compliance.

Key Highlights:
• Digital Infrastructure Over Physical Barriers: Blockchain and DeFi provide borderless financial rails that bypass Africa’s fragmented regulatory and political systems, enabling faster and lower-cost cross-border transactions.
• Scale of the Crypto Opportunity: VALR has grown to become one of Africa’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, serving 1.7 million users and facilitating billions in transaction volume globally.
• Democratizing Investment Access: Through tokenization, VALR enables broader access to financial products – including stocks, private credit funds, and diversified crypto assets – traditionally restricted to wealthy or accredited investors.
• Financial Sovereignty & Trust: Crypto infrastructure allows users to hold and control their assets independently, addressing concerns around banking instability, government intervention, and misinformation in the digital era.
• A Borderless Financial Future: Misani positions blockchain, AI, and decentralized systems as catalysts for a more inclusive financial system, calling on individuals and institutions to participate in shaping a unified, global financial ecosystem.

From keynotes to dynamic panel discussions, the summit explored groundbreaking topics across four flagship tracks: the Africa Money & DeFi Summit, Africa Climate Tech & Investment Summit, Africa Startup Summit, and Africa AI & Digital Summit. Attendees immersed themselves in the latest trends, shared ideas, and discovered cutting-edge innovations that are redefining Africa’s tech landscape.

But it wasn’t just about the talks – networking buzzed with energy, workshops sparked creativity, and exhibitions showcased the region’s tech solutions.

Africa Tech Summit Nairobi 2026 celebrated its 8th edition on February 11th and 12th at the Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi. Bringing together leading industry players the summit explored the latest trends and insights in technology and business across Africa and beyond.