1 July 2025 — Tether, the largest company in the digital asset industry, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Zanzibar e-Government Authority (eGaz), marking a strategic collaboration to advance digital asset education and financial innovation across developing regions.
This MoU aligns with Tether’s vision to strengthen Africa’s digital economy through education, regulatory clarity, and the development of an innovative ecosystem. Together, Tether and eGAZ aim to lay the foundation for financial inclusion, local capacity building, and the promotion of digital asset literacy alongside sustainable technological progress that meets international best practices.
The initiative aims to emphasize real-world use cases of digital assets and to empower individuals and businesses. Tether will also evaluate supporting the integration of USD₮ and XAU₮ into Zanmalipo, the local government payment gateway, enhancing accessibility and utility within the regional financial ecosystem.
As part of Tether’s mission to be at the forefront of the digital asset educational revolution, Tether may collaborate with eGAZ to organize educational workshops for stakeholders across Zanzibar, focusing on Blockchain, Bitcoin, stablecoins, and peer-to-peer technologies.
This MOU also envisions collaboration with local academic institutions and research centers to integrate blockchain technology into educational frameworks. Tether and eGAZ may jointly promote public and private sector events to raise awareness, facilitate knowledge sharing, and foster entrepreneurship within the blockchain ecosystem.
This collaboration could significantly contribute to Zanzibar’s financial economy. By enhancing digital infrastructure and providing access to borderless, stable financial instruments, this initiative could introduce alternatives for savings, facilitate cross-border transactions, and support business growth. These effort also aligns with Zanzibar’s broader goals of promoting inclusive financial systems and reducing dependency on traditional banking models. Integrating digital assets like USD₮ and XAU₮ into the local wallet could modernize financial access and unlock new opportunities for individuals and businesses.
Zanzibar’s crypto market, while still in its early stage, has shown increasing traction through informal peer-to-peer transactions and localized experimentation with digital finance. The government’s recent launch of a blockchain sandbox program underscores its commitment to fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, and regional collaboration in emerging technologies.
“This MOU with the Zanzibar eGovernment Authority reflects our commitment to advancing financial literacy and sustainable blockchain innovation in Africa,” said Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether. “It marks a turning point, shifting the ecosystem from informal curiosity to structured growth. By combining clarity with educational investment and digital asset integration, we will be laying the foundation for a compliant, scalable, and inclusive digital economy. By working together, we hope to create a digital economy that leverages the power of blockchain to improve lives and support economic development across Zanzibar.”
By executing this MoU, today marks a significant milestone in history as Zanzibar joins the rest of the world in harnessing the opportunities presented through the inclusion of digital assets. This MOU with Tether provides us access to the future as we could leverage on Tether’s support in enabling public participation, digital assets education, and catalysing legal and institutional reforms towards inclusion,” said Mr. Said Seif Said, Director General, eGAZ.
As Tether continues to collaborate with governments and institutions worldwide, this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Zanzibar represents another significant step in promoting digital asset education, responsible blockchain integration, and inclusive economic growth.
