Libeara Teams Up with GFX to Enhance Financial Inclusion Across Africa

A new collaboration has emerged between Ghana-based brokerage firm GFX and the regulated tokenization platform Libeara, supported by Standard Chartered Ventures. This partnership aims to explore the tokenization of government-issued financial instruments, making high-quality investments more accessible across Africa.

Key Takeaways

Partnership Significance: GFX and Libeara are partnering to enhance access to government financial instruments for everyday Africans.
Tokenization Benefits: Utilizing blockchain technology allows for lower investment thresholds, reducing barriers for individuals to invest.
Commitment to Inclusion: The project aims to democratize investment opportunities, giving more citizens access to stable financial products.
Regulatory Developments: Ghana is setting the stage for tokenization through upcoming regulations and a supportive framework.

Collaborative Effort to Transform Financial Accessibility

Ghana-based brokerage GFX has formed a strategic partnership with Libeara, a tokenization platform regulated by Standard Chartered Ventures. This collaboration was announced today at the Singapore FinTech Festival as part of efforts to democratize access to financial markets across the continent.

For countless Africans, investing in their nation's development via government bonds and similar instruments often feels unattainable due to high minimum investment thresholds, which typically favor institutions and affluent individuals. This situation excludes many citizens from accessing reliable savings products and wealth-building opportunities that are widely available in developed markets.

Overcoming Challenges with Tokenization

The challenge stems from the operational realities of emerging markets, where managing thousands of small retail accounts can be financially burdensome for governments eager to raise capital efficiently. Consequently, an "institutional-first" approach has been historically adopted, wherein minimum ticket sizes are set too high, limiting participation of everyday savers.

The introduction of tokenization presents a promising solution. By employing blockchain technology to convert government bonds and similar instruments into digital tokens, Libeara’s system facilitates automated settlement, compliance, and transaction operations via smart contracts. This innovation significantly lowers administrative costs, mitigates counterparty risks, and speeds up reconciliation processes.

As a result, reduced operational expenses empower governments to lower minimum investment requirements, paving the way for greater retail participation.

“On a continent where a large portion of savings exists outside traditional financial systems, our goal is to build a new bridge: enabling anyone with a smartphone and five dollars to invest in their country's future with dignity,” stated Joe Anka, CEO of GFX.

Assets issued under this new collaboration will utilize Libeara’s infrastructure, which currently manages over US$1 billion in regulated real-world assets on the blockchain.

Securely Bringing Real-World Assets On-chain

“Libeara is progressively bringing real-world assets on-chain in a secure and compliant way, and we are excited to extend our reach into Africa with this initiative,” commented Aaron Gwak, Founder and CEO of Libeara.

“This partnership exemplifies how tokenization can address real-world needs—enabling financial inclusion in underserved markets. Access to reliable, high-quality financial instruments is a fundamental right for all, not just a privilege for the few,” he added.

Regulatory Frameworks Strengthening in Ghana

The regulatory environment in Ghana is evolving to support innovations like this partnership. The anticipated Virtual Asset Services Providers (VASP) Bill aims to establish a comprehensive framework for overseeing digital asset activities and tokenized instruments. Joint regulation by the Bank of Ghana and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Ghana will ensure that these advancements occur in a safe, controlled setting that prioritizes investor protection.

In the meantime, the Bank of Ghana is utilizing its regulatory sandbox to provide a controlled space for companies like GFX and Libeara to test blockchain-based financial services in real market conditions.

Ghana Commits to Crypto Regulation

In October, Ghana’s central bank pledged to introduce regulations for cryptocurrencies by December 2025, despite the current absence of necessary personnel to enforce these rules.

Bank of Ghana Governor Johnson Asiama announced this ambitious timeline during the International Monetary Fund’s meetings in Washington, committing to present a virtual assets bill to parliament by year-end.

This announcement aims to fill a regulatory gap in a nation where roughly 3 million adults, or about 17% of the population, regularly use digital currencies for transactions like payments, savings, and remittances. Notably, crypto transactions in Ghana amounted to $3 billion between July 2023 and June 2024, highlighting significant economic activity outside the traditional banking framework.