You don’t need to believe in crypto’s future to benefit from what it can do, says Quidax’s Ezichim Onweagba
Africa has become a continent that is increasingly capturing the attention of the industry, and this could well be music to the ears of Quidax, says Ezichim Onweagba, Head of Global Partnerships at Quidax.
The company, licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Nigeria, is looking to play an increasingly critical role for those that may be looking to enter, or even swell their presence, across a range of nations.
With this in mind, Onweagba offers a little background to Payment Expert on exactly why this is possible, elaborates on the divisive topic of cryptocurrency and how to change perceptions, and explains why the sky’s the limit for Quidax.
Payment Expert: To begin, could you begin by talking us through the history of Quidax, as well as the inner workings of the company and what truly makes you tick?
Ezichim Onweagba: Quidax is an African-founded cryptocurrency exchange that makes it easy for anyone to buy, sell, store and transfer cryptocurrencies. Quidax additionally enables OTC trading and gives fintech companies the tools to offer cryptocurrency services to customers through a dedicated crypto API.
Quidax was officially launched in 2018 and has customers in more than 70 countries. While we started with a retail focus, it became clear over time that many of the real-world use cases emerging on the continent, especially around payments, settlements, and treasury, required infrastructure built for business.
This led to the launch of the Quidax OTC Desk, which offers businesses a compliant, high-liquidity, and tailored crypto trading experience.
Today, Quidax OTC is trusted by fintechs, corporate treasurers, and global brands that require reliable cross-border settlements into and across Africa.
What makes us tick is impact; enabling businesses to move value efficiently, securely, and compliantly across borders using crypto.
PE: From a geographical perspective, where does Quidax focus its attention? And can we expect to witness the group spread its wings in the near future?
EO: Quidax largely covers the African market; with its B2C operations in Nigeria and Ghana. Our OTC desk provides support for global clients operating in Africa. We offer trades in major fiat currencies including the USD, EUR, NGN, GHS, KES, XAF/XOF, ZMW, TZS, ZAR and ETB and stablecoins.
Expansion is definitely on the horizon, both in terms of currency coverage and partner reach. As African markets become more connected to the global digital economy, we aim to be the settlement partner businesses can trust.
PE: Cryptocurrency remains quite a divisive topic of conversation, despite being at the forefront of the attention of numerous industries for quite some time. What would your message be to those who may be sitting on the fence or a little sceptical of digital currencies?
EO: For businesses, it’s no longer about belief, it’s about efficiency, access, and competitiveness. Digital assets, particularly stablecoins, are helping global businesses settle faster, reduce costs, and access liquidity in regions where traditional banking falls short.
Our OTC clients aren’t using crypto as speculation. They’re using it as infrastructure; to pay suppliers, manage FX, and settle cross-border invoices with confidence and speed.
So, to the skeptics: You don’t need to believe in crypto’s future to benefit from what it can do for your business today.
PE: Related to this previous question, how can the industry go ahead changing the tide of the potentially negative opinions held?
EO: The answer lies in utility, transparency, and regulation. The industry must move beyond “hype” and focus on real, business-driven use cases, like how OTC desks enable compliant and instant B2B settlements across borders. We also need more licensed players, clearer regulations, and better education.
At Quidax, we’re taking the lead by being one of the first SEC-licensed digital asset exchanges in Nigeria, with a strong compliance programme at the centre of our OTC operations.
PE: What major trends do you believe individuals and organisations should be keeping an eye on at the current time? And why?
EO: Some of the trends we are seeing from our vantage point are:
- Stablecoin adoption for B2B settlements: businesses are increasingly using USDC/USDT to move money where banking rails fall short.
- Africa’s regulatory shift: countries are moving from uncertainty to structured crypto regulation, opening the door for compliant operations.
- Embedded crypto infrastructure:bBusinesses are integrating OTC and crypto rails into their treasury systems for faster, cheaper operations.
For any business operating across emerging markets, understanding how OTC desks work and can be leveraged is now a competitive advantage.
PE: To conclude, what do you envisage the future holding for Quidax?
EO: The future is about becoming the go-to settlement partner for businesses operating in and into Africa.
Our focus is on increasing our OTC Desk capabilities; expanding currency pairs, building API integrations, and strengthening our licensing footprint across the continent.
We believe the next phase of growth in crypto won’t come from retail speculation, but from business infrastructure. Quidax is building that infrastructure, one settlement at a time.
