Cryptocurrency
Blockchain technology lets East African farmers sell globally
Small farmers in the developing world may be on the cusp of an agricultural breakthrough. With emerging technologies like satellite imagery, drones and machine learning boosting productivity, it’s becoming more viable than ever to sell their produce in places like Western Europe.
There’s just one catch: avocado farmers in East Africa or coffee growers in Latin America have to be able to document that their crops have been grown in accordance with sustainable agricultural practices.
Their harvest bounty can’t come at the expense of denuded forests or through the assistance of child labor. And if their products are labeled “organic,” they will have to provide certification that no synthetic fertilizers and pesticides were used.
This is where blockchain technology could play a significant role.
Generating an immutable record
“Blockchain creates a great solution with an immutable record, particularly [when] combined with mobile” and other emerging technologies, Jon Trask, CEO of Dimitra — an AgTech firm active in 18 countries, which has worked with government agencies in Brazil, India, Uganda and Nepal — told Cointelegraph.
On July 20, Dimitra and One Million Avocados (OMA) — a sustainability-focused tech group — announced a partnership to help Kenyan avocado farmers boost production and quality through cutting-edge emerging technologies, including blockchain.
Dimitra’s multitech platform, which also includes mobile technology, artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things devices, satellite imaging and genomics, will give small farmers “greater access to solutions to further promote sustainable farming practices, primarily in pest and disease prevention and data reporting,” according to the press release.
Another key goal of the partnership is to help farmers in East Africa “overcome traceability issues to ensure maximum value of produce and to align with international regulatory frameworks.”
It’s not just in Kenya or the African continent where this movement of agricultural goods from the Global South to the Global North is picking up, either. “We have the same situation in Indonesia, Brazil and a few other Latin American countries,” Trask told Cointelegraph. “When they [farmers] are exporting their produce, they can get more dollars per kilo.”
Documentation will be critical for would-be exporters, especially with Europe’s new deforestation regulation, which went into force in June — though its main obligations won’t apply until yearend 2024. “You will have to prove that your firm has not been involved in deforestation,” explained Trask, adding:
“When an avocado farmer in Kenya goes to export their produce, they need to create certain documentation to show the origin of the produce. There is security associated with that document. It’s easy to create a fraudulent document.”
Enter blockchain, the traceability tool par excellence. “Blockchain-traced data is immutable and can serve as proof for farmers to get certifications or loans,” researcher SzuTung Chen, who recently completed a master’s thesis on coffee growing in Colombia, told Cointelegraph. “A blockchain company is working with carbon credit companies, for example, so that the farmers that are operating sustainable practices can have recorded data of their farming and get additional income.”
One of the biggest problems facing small farmers is information asymmetry, Chen explained. “Coffee brands and roasters capture the highest margin of the coffee price because they are closer to the end customers, and can leverage branding and marketing.”
Farmers, on the other hand, don’t know where their coffee goes after they sell it, the destination of their coffee or any coffee market trends — “which keeps them in a vulnerable situation in the supply chain,” she adds.
What blockchain can potentially do, she continued, is facilitate two-way transparency, so not only do stakeholders at the end of the supply chain know where the coffee comes from, but farmers also know what happens in the downstream supply chain.
More powerful than blockchain alone
Dimitra will use satellite imaging technology to help Kenyan farmers prove they aren’t ravaging woodlands to grow their avocados, but this technology can also be used to enhance productivity. By applying machine learning models to satellite imagery, Dimitra has developed algorithms that can pinpoint where more fertilizer is required or where irrigation needs to be stepped up, for example.
A multitech solution may generate synergies too. As Monica Singer, South African lead and senior strategy at ConsenSys, told Cointelegraph:
“When you are able to create an ecosystem using mobile and Internet of Things devices and AI, where relevant, it will be a more powerful solution than the blockchain ledger on its own.”
Is this cross-disciplinary approach the wave of the future? “I believe that blockchain can’t do it on its own,” Trask said. “We need to combine technologies in order to provide the services that the agricultural industry needs.”
It may be different in the financial sphere, conceded Trask, who has spent the past six years working on blockchain-related projects — his supply chain-related experience goes back even further. DeFi use cases can often stand on their own, but agriculture is different. “When we combine those technologies — machine learning and visual imaging and drones with blockchain — we can get more bang for the buck.”
The firm has “trained” machine learning models to recognize what a tree looks like using satellite images. A “tree” must have a certain canopy, height, etc. The firm can generate deforestation reports that illustrate within the boundaries of a farm where trees have been removed and where they have been added over a period of time.
Dimitra says Kenyan farmers can double their productivity by applying emerging technologies available today, but how much of that gain derives from digital ledger technology per se?
“It does require a combination of technologies,” answered Trask, but one shouldn’t overlook blockchain’s importance. “We originally did a project in East Africa around cattle,” he said, adding:
Farmers discovered that they could “get 50% to 100% more per pound of beef than they would if they didn’t have a traceability [blockchain] system.”
If African avocado farmers can meet the European Union’s documentation requirements, “they can get 30%, 50%, maybe even a couple hundred percent more on export.” Further gains from AI-driven enhancements in areas like irrigation and fertilization could result in a further doubling of productivity, he suggested.
Others agree that blockchain technology can become a factor in its own right with regard to the continent’s agricultural sector, particularly if its record-keeping capabilities are used for quality assurance, as Shadrack Kubyane, co-founder of South’s Africa’s Coronet Blockchain and eFama App, told Cointelegraph.
The importance of tamper-proof agricultural records was driven home to Kubyane by the world’s worst-ever listeriosis outbreak, which occurred in South Africa in January 2017 and had a death toll exceeding 200.
That case “continues to be contested in the courts to this day,” he said. The primary suspect remains a major food processing and distribution entity that, to this day, insists it was not the major source of the outbreak. “Had blockchain been in full force across that specific food chain, then the determinant factors and source of the outbreak would have been determined in two-and-a-half seconds or less, rather than waiting six-and-a-half years for a still-pending verdict.”
A “game changer”
ConsenSys’s Singer is bullish about blockchain’s future use on the continent. “Supply chain technology with track-and-trace functionality using blockchain technology will be a game changer in Africa,” she told Cointelegraph. “We have a high penetration of mobile phones in the continent. We also know that blockchain technology is most useful when there are many intermediaries and when we need to have an audit trail of transactions involving many parties in a transparent manner.”
In Africa, the farmer is often the last to benefit from the sale of produce, “in particular when there is dependency on many intermediaries.” Among other virtues, blockchain tech also helps with “right-sizing intermediaries,” Singer added. Moreover, “We currently have very few sophisticated technologies for track-and-trace.”
Some of blockchain’s key attributes resemble those of traditional African bartering systems, like the one used in the small village where Kubyane grew up.
During the harvest season, crops could be traded for livestock in various quantities as needed. This made for some blockchain-like benefits, including traceability, as “people knew exactly where their food came from”; transparency, since “goods could be exchanged without intermediaries adding unnecessary markups”; and supply chain control, as “many farming families had control over their entire supply chain — however small scale — from seed banks to direct sales to consumers.”
A barter system has many limitations, of course, including a lack of scalability, and Kubyane is against turning back the clock on Africa’s modern food supply chain. But blockchain technology can help with many contemporary challenges, including “food traceability, post-harvest losses, lack of supply chain transparency, unfair trade practices, and monopolies that marginalize small and semi-commercial farmers,” he told Cointelegraph.
Patience is required
Overall, it may take some time to move the African farming needle. “Certainly, it will take years,” said Trask. For instance, a farm cooperative may come in and sign a contract with Dimitra and say that “they’re going to onboard 30,000 farmers. We probably never get 100% adoption; we may only get 80%.”
Moreover, only 10% of system users may be “power users,” he continued. Some may be participating because food giants like Nestle and others have told them “they had to have traceability,” Trask noted. Other farmers simply don’t want to convert to new technologies.
Another challenge is, implementing these solutions sometimes “requires too many parties to be involved or to learn about the technology,” according to ConsenSys’s Singer.
Solutions must also be accessible, affordable and scalable, added Kubyane. “It is of utmost importance to have patient capital at a significant scale.”
In sum, synergies from melding blockchains with other emerging technologies like satellite imagery, AI, mobile tech and others may one day revolutionize agriculture in the developing world. But until that day arrives, farmers in East Africa and other regions can potentially fetch higher prices for their products by tapping export markets like the EU and North America.
But to secure a permanent place at dining tables in these Western economies, they will have to convince regulators and sustainability-minded publics that their crops weren’t grown by razing woodlands or employing child labor. To accomplish that, private and public blockchains, with their enhanced tracking, tracing and certification capabilities, may prove invaluable.
TL;DR
- Ripple’s network has seen a massive resurgance in the past several days as the number of active addresses skyrocketed to new local peaks last Monday.
- The revelation of this growing stat coincided with an impressive price surge for XRP, which has actually become the top performer from the largest 10 alts.
The stat in question is the number of active addresses on Ripple’s network. According to data from Glassnode, cited by the popular crypto analyst Ali Martinez, the metric has skyrocketed to a multi-month high as more than 1.12 million users interacted with it on June 9.
$XRP active addresses reached 1.12 million last week! pic.twitter.com/BmZceEKFFk
— Ali (@ali_charts) June 16, 2025
When users are more inclined to operate and utilize a certain blockchain network, it’s typically regarded as a bullish sign for its adoption and its future price performance, and vice versa.
Although XRP’s price is well below its 2025 highs reached in late January, it still registered an impressive uptick on a daily scale.
In fact, Ripple’s cross-border token has become the top performer from the top 10 alts, having surged by over 7% in a day. XRP even tapped a multi-day peak of over $2.32 earlier today, before it retraced slightly to the current $2.3.
Recall that the asset plunged to $2.08 on Friday when Israel launched its initial missile attack against Iran. Since then, XRP has added over 10.5% of value.
If you want to check the most recent interesting XRP price predictions, you can check this article.
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Cryptocurrency
Universal Digital Inc. Announces Bitcoin Treasury Strategy Across North America And Asia
[PRESS RELEASE – Vancouver, Canada, June 16th, 2025]
Company Begins Bitcoin Accumulation And Signs Non-binding Strategic Mou With Japan’s Gfa Co., Ltd.
Targets Launching Bitcoin Treasuries in Asia’s US$25 Trillion Public Market
Universal Digital Inc. (the “Company” or “Universal Digital”) (CSE: “LFG”, FSE: 8R20) is pleased to announce the launch of its Bitcoin Treasury Strategy, which will form a core pillar of the Company’s capital allocation framework. As an initial step, the Company has commenced the orderly divestment of its existing altcoin holdings, with the proceeds to be reallocated toward Bitcoin accumulation under a new reserve model.
The goal of this strategy is to enhance long-term net asset value and align the Company with global trends in institutional digital asset adoption. Universal Digital views Bitcoin as a complementary reserve asset and plans to implement the strategy in a transparent and phased manner.
As part of this initiative, the Company plans to collaborate with publicly-listed companies across Asia to implement Bitcoin treasury models, leveraging the region’s growing institutional and retail interest in digital assets and its increasing openness to blockchain-based financial innovation. According to Chainalysis, Eastern Asia accounted for approximately 8.9% of global on-chain cryptocurrency transaction volume between July 2023 and June 2024, with the bulk of activity driven by institutional and professional investors in markets like Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong.
In furtherance of this regional focus, on June 12, 2025, the Company entered into a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with GFA Co., Ltd. (“GFA”), a Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed diversified financial and technology group (TSE: 8783). The MOU sets out a partnership framework for jointly advancing Bitcoin-based corporate finance models in Japan.
Under the MOU, the companies will jointly explore:
- Introducing Bitcoin reserve models to Japanese listed companies;
- Structuring capital raising tools such as warrants and market-based offerings to fund Bitcoin acquisitions; and
- Enhancing governance, investor relations, and custody frameworks for digital assets.
The MOU also sets the stage for broader collaboration in Japan’s digital economy, including joint investments in public companies, the development of blockchain-based corporate structures, initiatives that connect Bitcoin adoption with cultural IP and Web3-driven consumer ecosystems. The MOU was entered on an arm’s length basis and there are no related party interests between Universal Digital and GFA.
“Our Bitcoin Treasury Strategy marks a deliberate shift in how we manage capital — by holding Bitcoin as a long-term treasury asset, we aim to enhance balance sheet strength and align with the evolving global financial landscape,” said Tim Chan, CEO of the Company. “The framework we’ve established with GFA enables us to explore extending this model to Asia, where digital assets are gaining traction among public companies and institutional investors.”
“Universal Digital’s and its management’s experience with the crypto and Bitcoin treasury combined with our expertise on the Japanese markets makes us a strong team. I look forward to working closely with Universal Digital to introduce bitcoin reserve model to Japanese listed companies.” Stated Gen Matsuda, CEO of GFA Co., Ltd.
The MOU is non-binding and provides a framework for further negotiations and joint structuring discussions.
About Universal Digital Inc.
The Universal Digital Inc. is a Canadian investment company focused on digital assets, businesses, and private and publicly-listed entities that are involved in high-growth industries, with a particular focus on blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and cryptocurrency technologies. The Company aims to provide shareholders with long-term capital growth through a diversified investment approach and to participate in the transformation of global finance through the integration of digital asset strategies.
About GFA CO., LTD.
GFA Co. is a Japanese company primarily involved in financial services, cybersecurity, space production, and gaming. The company operates through four business segments: financial services, cybersecurity, space production, and game business. Its financial services segment includes financial advisory, investment, and loan activities, and real estate investment. Additionally, they engage in real estate rental, buying/selling, and brokerage services, along with real estate secured loans and resale.
References
Chainalysis 2024 Geography of Cryptocurrency Report – Regional Overview: East Asia
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward Looking Information
Certain statements in this release constitute “forward-looking statements” or “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws including, without limitation, statements with respect to the Company’s plan to sell its altcoin holdings and the uses of proceeds therefrom, statements with respect to the Company’s future net asset value, balance sheet strength and financial resilience, statements relating to the Company’s plans and anticipated benefits of the MOU, as well as statements relating to the Company’s business strategy, market positioning, investor engagement, regulatory approvals, the availability of capital, anticipated timelines, and general economic, financial, market and political conditions. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as “may”, “would”, “could”, “will”, “intend”, “expect”, “believe”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “scheduled”, “forecast”, “predict” and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements reflect the company’s current expectations regarding future events, performance and results and speak only as of the date of this release.
Forward-looking statements and information contained herein are based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the assumption that the Company will be able to liquidate its altcoin holdings at favourable prices or at all, the Company continuing its anticipated business strategy, including entrance into of the Asian market, and the Company and GFA being able to consummate a binding transaction or series of transactions based on the non-binding MOU, the Company’s business strategy, expectations with respect to market conditions, investor engagement, regulatory approvals, the availability of capital, anticipated timelines, operating costs, and other business and economic considerations. While the Company considers its assumptions to be reasonable as of the date hereof, forward-looking statements and information are not guarantees of future performance and readers should not place undue importance on such statements as actual events and results may differ materially from those described herein. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or information except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Such statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information, including, without limitation, the risk that the Company is not able to liquidate its altcoin holdings at favourable prices or at all, which would affect the uses of proceeds from such sale, the Company and GFA failing to enter into a binding agreement based on the MOU and not realizing the anticipated benefits set out above, the Company changing its business strategy relating to the Asian market or the Bitcoin Treasury Strategy. Please see the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s most recent annual information form dated June 3, 2025 for the year ended January 31, 2025, as well as the “Financial Instruments and Related Risks” section of the Company’s most recent management discussion & analysis for the year ended January 31, 2025 for a further description of the risks applicable to the Company.
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Bitcoin has kicked off the week on a strong note as it trades above $107K, while recovering from the Israel-Iran sell-off. Interestingly, both retail investors and whales appear to be firmly holding their positions.
In fact, Bitcoin inflows to Binance from both the whale and retail cohorts have dropped to their lowest levels since the start of the current cycle.
BTC Investors Unified in Holding Mode
According to CryptoQuant’s latest analysis, this rare solidarity signals a strong preference for holding rather than selling. Such behavior in both investor classes exhibits high conviction in Bitcoin’s long-term trajectory.
Historically, synchronized inflows from whales and retail investors have occurred at major market tops. However, the current decline in deposits suggests a significant shift in strategy, as participants appear to be positioning for further upside rather than exiting.
The sharp drop in activity may also indicate investors are awaiting clearer macroeconomic cues before making major moves. Despite this, the unified behavior, seen in both large-scale and small-scale holders, is indicative of a constructive outlook for Bitcoin.
Zooming out, Glassnode reported a decisive shift in Bitcoin’s 25 Delta Skew, which turned bullish over the past week despite a modest price dip. The 1-week skew flipped from -2.6% to +10.1%, while the 1-month moved from -2.2% to +4.9%, depicting strong near-term upside expectations.
Bitcoin Shakes Off Geopolitical Jitters
Adding to the sense of stability in the market, QCP Capital noted that Bitcoin’s response to recent geopolitical tensions has remained notably composed.
After initial jitters sparked by Iran-Israel headlines last Friday, the crypto asset quickly rebounded from a weekly low of $102.8K to $107K. This recovery mirrored gains in large-cap tokens and US equity futures. Institutional support appears to be a major driver in this aspect, as Metaplanet and Strategy continued to accumulate, while US spot Bitcoin ETFs registered a seventh consecutive week of inflows.
BTC’s ability to hold above the crucial $100K level, even during a 3% pullback, contrasts with the 8% drop seen during similar geopolitical events in April last year.
QCP Capital further explained that the implied volatility remains subdued, and BTC frontend vols below 40 and the VIX near 20. These levels are typically inconsistent with increased global risk. While flows into US Treasuries and Asian bonds suggest some caution, markets have not shifted into full risk-off mode.
However, analysts warn that escalation, such as an Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz or US military involvement, could trigger broader market disruption. Ironically, such scenarios “could prove structurally bullish for BTC.”
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