Tether Teams Up with Zanzibar to Boost Blockchain Literacy for 1.9M Residents
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Tether, the world’s largest stablecoin issuer, has signed a major agreement with the Zanzibar e-Government Authority (eGAZ) to launch a region-wide initiative to boost digital asset literacy and financial innovation. This MoU makes Zanzibar a blockchain education hub in East Africa.
The initiative is part of Tether’s mission to bring digital assets to underserved regions. With a population of nearly two million, Zanzibar is the perfect testbed for scaling blockchain infrastructure and education. Tether will work with local authorities to raise awareness and integrate its USD₮ stablecoin and XAU₮ (a gold-backed token) into government systems like Zanmalipo, the island’s digital payment gateway.
Blockchain Education First
Education is at the heart of this partnership. Tether and eGAZ will offer blockchain training and public workshops on topics such as Bitcoin, stablecoins, peer-to-peer payments and decentralized technologies. These sessions will target students, entrepreneurs, regulators and public sector officials – to engage widely and build foundations.
The MoU also includes:
- Developing curricula with academic institutions
- Launching joint research programs
- Hosting policy-focused events to support blockchain integration
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said: “We’re moving from informal curiosity to structured growth for digital assets in Africa. We’re building the foundation for a compliant, scalable and inclusive digital economy.”
Stablecoins to Power Government Payment Gateway?
Beyond education, the agreement means Tether will evaluate integrating USD₮ and XAU₮ into Zanmalipo, the government payment system. If successful, Zanzibar could be the first jurisdiction to support stablecoin payments for public services – increasing financial access while reducing reliance on traditional banking.
Seif Said, Director General of eGAZ, called the deal “a big milestone” and said it could change the digital landscape of Zanzibar. He added that the partnership will drive reforms to encourage wider public engagement and institutional alignment around new financial tools.
As other African countries explore CBDCs and crypto regulations, Zanzibar’s move with Tether puts it ahead of the curve in practical blockchain adoption.
