Book Description

This book comprehensively analyses financial technology law and regulation in Africa and provides domestic and regional perspectives on regulating FinTech in Africa. It studies policy considerations that can assist African policymakers in facilitating a balanced regulatory approach that does not stifle financial innovation. The growth of financial technology in Africa presents huge opportunities for inclusive growth on the African continent. Digital finance, which sits at the heart of financial technology, could be key to placing Africa back on the economic recovery trajectory after the COVID-19 crisis, facilitating its speed in achieving the UNSDG 2030 goals and setting the continent on course to meet its African Union Agenda 2063. This book: - Examines mobile financial services, crowdfunding, crypto-assets, digital currencies including central bank digital currencies, decentralised finance and open banking and finance, all from an African perspective; - Explores the status of regulation in these areas in Africa, highlighting areas where regulation is lacking, inadequate and in need of reform; - Highlights pragmatic approaches to regulation such as including the adoption of regulatory sandboxes and regulatory technology and discusses requirements for the adoption of supervisory technology in Africa; - Scrutinises the implications of developments in the FinTech space in Africa for international security and economic and financial stability. Placing Africa in the global context, the book argues for an international effort to understand the global dimensions of FinTech developments so that robust and applicable global regulatory frameworks can be applied in developing parts of the world. It will provide useful insights to investors, policy makers and entrepreneurs. It will also be essential reading for students and researchers in the field of technology, public policy, regulatory policy, financial policy, banking, and finance law.