Crypto: Locals Prefer Satoshis To Dollars, Says Africa Bitcoin Chair...

In an interview with Natalie Brunell on Coin Stories, Masie described Bitcoin as functional currency in parts of Africa amid rapid inflation and currency debasement.

Stafford Masie, executive chairman of Africa Bitcoin Corporation, said Tuesday that Bitcoin functions as everyday money in parts of Africa rather than primarily as a store of value.

Speaking to Natalie Brunell on the Coin Stories podcast on Tuesday, Masie said the framing of Bitcoin (BTC) differs sharply across regions.

“Where I come from, Bitcoin is money,” he told Brunell, adding that in some circular economies in Africa, merchants “won’t accept dollars — they accept satoshis.”

While investors in developed markets often emphasize its role as an inflation hedge, he described communities where satoshis circulate directly in local economies. He also pointed to the stark difference between inflation in the West and in parts of Africa.

“When you guys talk about debasement, you talk about 4% to 5% annually — we talk about 4% to 5% in an afternoon,” he said.

Masie compared the shift to the continent’s rapid adoption of mobile technology, arguing that younger populations are bypassing legacy financial systems. Rather than transitioning gradually from stable fiat currencies, he described a move from what he called “broken money” and sharp currency debasement into digital assets.

He also highlighted Africa’s youthful demographics as a key factor, noting that more than a quarter of the continent’s population is under 20. He said younger generations are embracing emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and they “love Bitcoin.”

Masie said that in this context, Bitcoin becomes more than a passive store of value. Instead, he described it as “pristine capital;” a financial substrate that individuals and businesses can build on. He said:

Masie is a longtime technology executive who previously led major tech operations in South Africa.

Source: CoinTelegraph