Circle has announced its fourth USDC Developer Grant program. This round awarded grants to 26 early-stage blockchain startups worldwide, with Africa standing out: five African blockchain projects received funding, the highest number from any region so far.
Each grant ranges from $5,000 to $100,000, paid in USDC. Besides funding, selected startups get product advice, compliance support, technical training, co-marketing opportunities, and possible connections to Circle Ventures. The goal is to help developers build real-world blockchain solutions using USDC and Circle’s tools, like programmable wallets, smart contract APIs, and cross-chain transfers.
The five African blockchain startups chosen are LINK, Scalex, SFx, Flipeet Raise, and Katika. This shows strong momentum in Africa: the number of African grantees has grown from one in the second cohort to three in the third, and now five.
This support is timely. Traditional venture capital for African crypto and blockchain startups dropped by about 70% in the first half of 2024. Ecosystem grants like Circle’s help fill this funding gap, giving young blockchain companies the resources they need to build and scale.
Stablecoins such as USDC play a growing role in Africa for remittances, savings, and cross-border trade. To expand this impact, Circle partners with platforms through the Circle Payments Network (CPN), including Onafriq, Flutterwave, and Yellow Card, connecting over a billion mobile wallets and 500 million bank accounts.
This grant round highlights Africa’s rising talent in blockchain innovation and shows how crucial grants are for new blockchain startups in today’s challenging funding environment.
About Circle
Circle is a global financial technology company and the issuer of USDC, a regulated stablecoin. It provides secure blockchain-based payment and treasury solutions for businesses and developers. Circle aims to make money work better on the internet by connecting traditional finance with open blockchain networks. Its tools help power faster, cheaper, and more transparent transactions worldwide.
