CoinGecko stated that the average electricity cost for a household to mine one BTC is $46,291.24, which is 35% higher than the daily electricity price of $30,090.08 for mining one BTC as of July 2023. The highest average household electricity cost is in Europe, estimated to be $85,767.84. The independent miners in Asia have the lowest average cost, with a cost of $20,635.62 to mine one BTC.

Mara, a decentralized finance platform focused on Africa, has announced the release of a testnet for its upcoming Mara Chain. The Ethereum-compatible layer 2 network will use MARA tokens for fees and offer sub-second transactional speeds, low gas fees, and interoperability with other Optimism-based networks.

Mojiolaoluwa Seun Salisu is spearheading the Web3 ecosystem through the Mojiola Blockchain Network in an effort to revolutionize fintech in Africa, marking a significant milestone in the continent's financial landscape.

June 29 (Cointime) - Executives from Yellow Card and Sankore 2.0 have highlighted the benefits of blockchain technology and cryptocurrency in solving real-world problems in Africa, such as hyperinflation and corruption. Chris Maurice, founder and CEO of Yellow Card, stated that crypto in Africa is growing rapidly as it allows many Africans to escape the traditional financial system's failures and transact more freely.

June 27 (Cointime) - EMURGO Africa, in partnership with PwC, has released a report titled "State of Web3.0 in Africa," which provides an in-depth analysis of the impact of blockchain and Web3.0 technologies in Africa and the MENA region.

The future of payment in Africa is undergoing a significant transformation due to the increasing use of digital financial services and technology. The future of digital payments in Africa will consist of a combination of traditional digital payments, mobile money, and emerging technologies such as cryptocurrency.

Blockchain technology is gaining popularity in Africa as it has the potential to solve unique challenges in the continent. Blockchain funding companies are providing substantial financial backing, leading to a 430% increase in funding for blockchain ventures in Africa from $89.6 million in 2021 to $474 million in 2022. The African Blockchain Report 2022 highlights the top 10 blockchain funding companies in Africa, including Coinbase Ventures, The Baobab Network, Digital Currency Group, and Block Ventures, which are fostering innovation and growth in the region's blockchain sector. Despite regulatory obstacles, venture capital firms such as Digital Currency Group, Block Ventures, and Pantera Capital have invested in African cryptocurrency companies, and the adoption rate of Bitcoin in Africa is growing faster than anywhere else in the world. Effective regulation will be crucial to the future of blockchain technology in Africa, and funding companies will play a pivotal role in its development and deployment.

Cross-border transactions involve the transfer of goods, services, and payment across countries. In Africa, these transactions are important for the economy, but regulatory bottlenecks can be a challenge. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and fintech solutions are working to simplify cross-border transactions and reduce trade barriers. Digital assets, such as cryptocurrencies, can also improve the situation by making transactions faster, cheaper, and more transparent, leading to increased economic growth, job creation, and financial inclusion in the continent.

Empowa, a Cardano-powered DeFi platform, aims to enable 1 million African families to own climate-smart homes by 2030. The platform is using NFTs and blockchain technology to revamp the outdated loan system and build decentralized funding models. The high mortgage rates in Africa have crippled the housing market, but Empowa is determined to disrupt the current real estate market and make homes more accessible to Mozambicans. The company is partnering with Casa Real to construct cyclone-resistant homes that will start at a price point of $10K and be affordable to low and middle-income families.

The United States White House has released a national standards strategy for key and emerging technologies, which includes distributed ledger technology (DLT) and digital identity infrastructure.