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Raising funding is almost everyone’s greatest struggle, but doing it successfully in a bear market feels almost surreal. But that’s what Coindirect have done:

Coindirect, an end-to-end global cryptocurrency platform, is one of the first of its kind to enable customers to trade cryptocurrencies using their own local currency in the emerging markets.

And, in February 2019, Coindirect revealed that they’d been successful in raising €1m in an investment round, led by Concentric, with participation from Blockchain.com, and MakerDAO.

With the help of the latest round of funding, Coindirect plans to further expand across Africa and Europe, supported by partnerships with Blockchain.com,  MakerDAO and others being announced in the coming months. The business is particularly focused on bringing cryptocurrency to emerging markets, with growing demand for alternative ways of banking and engaging with money in these regions. The team believes the lull in the cryptocurrency markets provides an ideal opportunity to build the infrastructure for widespread adoption.

Nic Haralambous, COO, Coindirect, commented:

“Coindirect is on a mission to change money by building a bridge between the decentralised world of crypto and the centralised world of traditional finance. Our goal is for everybody, from a first-time buyer to a pro-investor, to easily and securely be able to buy, sell, trade and track their assets in one place. This round of funding and the key partners we have on board take us a step closer to our objective of achieving mainstream adoption of cryptocurrency in Africa and across the globe.”

Alexander Mann, Investor at Concentric, commented:

“Coindirect is tapping into a genuine use case for cryptocurrencies – and Bitcoin’s original purpose – which is to give citizens in countries with poor governance a chance of financial freedom. The business is in a fantastic position to expand its distribution across Africa and internationally, thanks to a stellar team with extensive entrepreneurial experience, and an understanding of how to scale early-stage ventures. With few sophisticated competitors currently challenging in this market, we’re excited to see what the future holds for the business.”

“Maker believes the blockchain has the power to create an inclusive platform for economic empowerment,” said Rune Christensen, CEO and co-founder of MakerDAO. “Working with Coindirect to help people purchase and trade cryptocurrencies with their local currency is one step closer to providing people around the world with equal access to the global financial marketplace.”

Samuel Harrison, Managing Partner at Blockchain.com, commented: “At Blockchain, we’re committed to advancing the crypto ecosystem and providing consumers with financial utility beyond speculation. We believe the emerging markets use case for blockchain technology is compelling for both payments and also as a store of value. This is particularly true in regions with less developed payments infrastructure, high inflation, and restricted access to traditional banking services. We’re thrilled to work with Coindirect with the mission of bringing crypto to the hands of the consumer.”

Read more here.

 

Cath Jenkin is a freelance writer, editor, and communications consultant, who doesn't take lightly to fools or dishonesty. As a renowned WordWoman in South African circles, Cath creates results-driven communication strategies, while providing copywriting, proofreading, editorial, and other online content generation services too. When she's not pounding the keyboard, you'll find her in search of the perfect cup of tea.