Block just launched “Bitcoin Does,” its first-ever mass-consumer Bitcoin advertising campaign, aimed at the 60 million Americans who are curious but haven’t taken the first step. Maria Pesce, Head of Bitcoin Marketing at Block across Cash App, Square and Proto, joins Grace Remington and Sean Hagan to explain why the ads skip the mining and blockchain explainers and just show Bitcoin working. She shares the customer insight behind the message, a Square seller calling Bitcoin “more honest money,” and how inflation, bailouts and private equity shaped the films. Plus, inside Block’s Lightning Lake at ComplexCon, where attendees fished for Bitcoin and paid over Lightning.
Chapters: 0:00 Block Joins the Open Secure AI Alliance With Nvidia, Microsoft and Visa 1:00 Maria Pesce’s Path From Gemini to Leading Bitcoin Marketing at Block 2:07 Bitcoin Does: Block’s First Mass-Consumer Bitcoin Ad Campaign 3:13 Connecting Main Street Frustration to What Bitcoin Can Do 4:42 What Cash App Users and Square Sellers Told Block About Honest Money 5:56 Fixed Supply, Self-Custody and Why Young People Are Choosing Bitcoin 7:18 Light Bulb Moments From People Who Didn’t Own Bitcoin 8:51 Making Bitcoin Work Like Email: Block’s Design Language 10:15 Lightning Lake at ComplexCon: Fishing for Bitcoin and Paying Over Lightning 13:36 Square’s 0% Bitcoin Processing Fees and What Keeps People Using Bitcoin
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of BTC Inc., Bitcoin Magazine, or any affiliated entities. This content is provided for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment, legal, tax, or accounting advice. Nothing contained in this show constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, endorsement, or offer to buy or sell any securities or financial instruments. Viewers should consult their own advisors before making financial or business decisions.
Receiving money from abroad, paying an international supplier, or getting paid by a foreign client should be straightforward. Yet, for many Africans, cross-border payments can involve high fees, currency conversion costs, delays, and limited payment options.
These challenges have increased interest in alternative ways to move money internationally. One option attracting attention is stablecoins, digital assets designed to maintain a relatively stable value.
Stablecoins like USDT and USDC are becoming part of conversations about remittances, digital payments, and international commerce.
Platforms such as SFx Money App support USDT and USDC transactions through its crypto wallet, alongside other international payment services.
Understanding how stablecoins work, where they may be useful, and what risks they carry can help Africans make more informed financial decisions.
What Are Stablecoins?
Stablecoins are digital assets designed to maintain a relatively stable value, often by being linked to a traditional currency such as the US dollar.
Unlike Bitcoin, whose market price can fluctuate significantly, stablecoins such as USD Coin (USDC) and Tether (USDT) aim to maintain a value close to one US dollar. However, their prices can fluctuate, and neither is entirely risk-free.
Stablecoins can be transferred between compatible digital wallets through blockchain networks. Depending on the network and service provider, this can offer an alternative to certain traditional payment processes.
However, stablecoins are not the same as money held in a bank account. Their reliability depends on factors such as the issuer, the arrangements supporting their value, redemption options, and market conditions.
Transfers may also involve network fees, platform charges, and conversion costs. Users must understand these factors before deciding whether stablecoins suit their needs.
Why Are Stablecoins Becoming Important In Africa?
Cross-Border Payments
International payments support families, freelancers, and businesses across Africa. However, traditional transfers can involve intermediary charges, exchange-rate margins, processing delays, or restrictions depending on the countries and institutions involved.
Stablecoins offer another potential way to transfer digital value. Where compatible services are available, users can transfer stablecoins between supported wallets without relying entirely on conventional international banking processes.
This does not mean every stablecoin transfer is cheaper or faster. Network fees, platform charges, conversion rates, and the recipient’s ability to access the funds all affect the overall experience.
SFx Money App supports USDT and USDC transactions through its crypto wallet, alongside other international payment services.
2. Remittances and Family Support
Africans living abroad often send money home to helps families cover education, healthcare, housing, and other daily expenses.
Stablecoins helps with this by providing another option for transferring digital value to friends and loved ones. Recipients need to have access to compatible wallets and services to successfully receive and spend funds.
SFx offers suitable service to receive and convert these assets into local currencies for easy spending.
3. Opportunities for Freelancers and Businesses
African freelancers work with clients around the world, while businesses purchase software, equipment, and other services from international suppliers.
Receiving payments and settling invoices can be challenging when payment options are limited or currency conversion increases costs.
Stablecoins offer an additional way to receive or transfer digital value when both parties have access to compatible services.
SFx supports USDT and USDC transactions through its crypto wallet alongside other international payment services including foreign accounts like USD, GBP, EUR, AED, GHS, and TZS accounts.
How Do Stablecoins Fit Into Africa’s Digital Finance Future?
Stablecoins are part of a wider shift towards digital financial services, alongside mobile payments, digital wallets, and online banking.
For African markets, these developments may create opportunities to improve access to certain financial services. However, reliable internet access, suitable devices, identity verification, and access to conversion services can influence whether people can use these products effectively.
It is important to note that access to an app does not automatically remove every barrier to financial inclusion. Services must be accessible, practical, and appropriate for the people using them.
What Should You Know Before Using Stablecoins?
Stablecoins have potential benefits, but users should understand their risks before making a transaction.
Value Risk
Stablecoins can lose their intended value peg because of market conditions or concerns about the issuer and the arrangements supporting the asset.
Fees and Conversion
Network fees, platform charges, and exchange rates can reduce the amount ultimately received.
Scams and Security
Fraudulent websites, phishing messages, and compromised wallets can cause financial losses. Blockchain transactions are often difficult or impossible to reverse once confirmed.
Regulations
Digital asset rules differ across countries and may change over time. Users should understand the requirements that apply to their location and intended transaction.
Before transferring stablecoins, verify the asset and network, research the service provider, check the fees, and use appropriate security measures.
A Practical Checklist
Before using stablecoins for an international payment, ask yourself:
1. Does the service support the stablecoin and network I intend to use?
2. What are the total transaction and conversion costs?
3. How will the recipient access or convert the funds?
4. How can I protect my wallet and account?
5. What rules apply to this transaction?
These simple checks can help users avoid preventable mistakes and make more informed financial decisions.
What Do Stablecoins Mean For Africa’s Financial Future?
Stablecoins are not a complete solution to Africa’s payment challenges, but they are creating new possibilities for transferring digital value.
They offer families another way to receive money from abroad and give freelancers and businesses additional options for certain international transactions.
SFx Money App illustrates how supported stablecoin transactions can exist alongside other international payment services, giving users different options to explore according to their needs.
As digital finance continues to develop, the focus should not simply be on whether stablecoins will replace traditional money. It should be on where they provide practical value, who can benefit from them, and how their risks can be managed responsibly.
The future of cross-border payments will depend not only on new technology, but also on making financial services more accessible, transparent, and useful for the people who rely on them.
Jack Dorsey’s Block is pushing so hard for bitcoin adoption, it gifted 1 BTC to a lucky conference attendee at this year’s ComplexCon in Los Angeles.
The fintech giant attended the Complex Networks yearly event at the weekend in a bid to introduce newbies to the leading cryptocurrency through — in its words — “culture, shopping and play.”
Block’s Cash App had a stall at the event with a fishing game dubbed “Lightning Lake”, allowing attendees to win small amounts of bitcoin.
But one fortunate player was lucky enough to scoop up a whole coin — worth $85,000 at the time.
“We wanted bitcoin to feel approachable, tangible and fun,” Maria Pesce, Head of Bitcoin Marketing at Block, told Bitcoin Magazine.
“People could go from never having used bitcoin to paying with it, all in a trip around the lake.”
She added: “At Block, our goal is to make bitcoin everyday money, and ComplexCon gave us a chance to introduce bitcoin to a new audience through culture, shopping, and play.”
Block has long pushed for bitcoin adoption via its companies and products: Cash App allows users to send, receive and buy bitcoin and Square point-of-sale terminals accept the orange coin via the Lightning Network.
NYSE-listed Block this month even debuted an advertising campaign to make the push for people to use the leading cryptocurrency as a medium of exchange.
Dorsey, who in 2021 left Twitter to focus his efforts on payments and Bitcoin adoption in 2021, has repeatedly said he wants the cryptocurrency to be the global currency and “everyday money.”
Block even piqued the interest of celebrities at ComplexCon: Kanye West’s daughter North West and rapper French Montana were spotted by Lightning Lake trying to fish for bitcoin.
Nicosia, Cyprus, 02 October — SFx Money App has officially relaunched its Naira Account feature and integrated the TRON (TRC20) network for USDT, giving users more convenient ways to manage local currency and digital assets from within the SFx ecosystem.
The latest updates strengthen SFx’s mission to make cross-border financial services more accessible, connected, and practical for Africans and people living around the world.
Personal Naira Accounts Return to SFx
With the relaunch of the Naira Account, eligible SFx users can now have a personal Naira account number, allowing them to receive Naira payments directly into their SFx account.
The feature is designed to provide a familiar banking experience within the SFx Money App. Users can use their dedicated account details to receive funds and manage their Naira balance alongside the other financial services available on the platform.
The Naira Account was initially introduced in June 2026 before being temporarily rolled back as SFx carried out internal upgrades. Following those improvements, the feature has now officially returned to the platform.
The relaunch provides Nigerian users with another way to fund their SFx accounts while bringing traditional local banking functionality closer to SFx’s digital financial ecosystem.
USDT on TRON (Trc20) Is Now Live
Alongside the Naira Account relaunch, SFx has officially integrated USDT on the TRON network (Trc20). The integration gives users another option for depositing and managing USDT on SFx, expanding the platform’s existing blockchain network support.
SFx currently supports USDT and USDC across Polygon, Solana, Arbitrum, Base, Avalanche, and Optimism, with TRON now joining the network lineup for USDT. For users who regularly receive or transfer USDT through TRC20, the integration provides a more direct way to bring those assets into their SFx ecosystem.
The update also reflects the growing intersection between traditional financial systems and digital assets, allowing users to manage different forms of money through one platform.
Building Around How People Actually Move Money
According to Muqaddis Kolawole, Head of Design & Marketing at SFx Money App, the latest updates are driven by the practical needs of users navigating multiple financial systems.
“We’re building SFx for the reality of how Africans actually move money today, across borders, currencies, and increasingly between traditional finance and digital assets. The introduction of dedicated Naira accounts and USDT on Trc20 is a reflection of that mission.
“Our users have been asking us to make these experiences easier, and we’ve been listening. Whether you’re a Nigerian receiving local payments, a student managing money across countries, or a crypto user who needs access to USDT on Trc20, you should not have to juggle multiple platforms just to manage your own money.
“For us, this isn’t simply another product update. It’s another piece of the infrastructure we’re building to make money more accessible, connected, and borderless for Africans and people living across the world. And honestly, we’re only getting started.”
More Financial Access Through One Platform
The Naira Account and Tron integration are part of SFx Money App’s broader efforts to bring local financial rails, stablecoins, and cross-border payments into a more connected experience.
For Nigerian users, the dedicated Naira Account provides a familiar way to receive local payments and fund their SFx accounts. For stablecoin users, Trc20 support adds another route for accessing USDT within the platform.
Together, the updates give users more flexibility while reducing the need to move between multiple financial platforms to manage their money. With these features now live, SFx Money App continues to expand its financial infrastructure around the needs of a global and increasingly digital user base.
About SFx Money App
SFX is a financial technology startup providing foreigners and businesses overseas with the easiest way to receive money and spend with ease.
For media inquiries or partnership opportunities, please contact:
In a major development confirmed on SEPTEMBER 29, 2026, Confirmed announcement/filing for SEC Charges Two Investment Advisors In $15 Million WhatsApp Crypto Fraud. This operational move highlights expanding activity across the digital asset ecosystem and underscores key developments for market participants.
Key Operational Milestones & Context
According to primary regulatory and corporate filings verified on SEPTEMBER 29, 2026, this development introduces crucial infrastructure enhancements. Industry leaders note that maintaining robust compliance, security, and market liquidity remains essential as digital asset services integrate into broader institutional frameworks.
The transition reflects a strategic pivot toward scalable, transparent operations. Analysts emphasize that ongoing technological upgrades will play a central role in sustaining user confidence and market stability over the coming quarter.
Market Outlook and Industry Impact
As institutional participation accelerates across global markets, this landmark event sets a notable precedent. Traders and investors are closely evaluating liquidity signals and collateral flows following the announcement.
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