Meet Amina, a dynamic businesswoman based in Nairobi, Kenya. She sells them at craft fairs and markets, taking above local artisans to convince tourists to buy that special piece of jewelry. Amina dreams bigger. Now, she’s ready to enter the global marketplace, selling her all-natural products around the world on the web. We know what the problem is. She can’t afford to be the overseas customer’s guinea pig and subject to payment delays, nor can she accept losing her earned profits to exorbitant fees. This is the very real day-to-day for thousands of entrepreneurs across Africa. That’s a truth that crypto, especially solutions like Umbria Network, can and should help to change.
Can DeFi Truly Be Affordable?
In truth, when it comes to DeFi, there are times it seems like an exclusive club for the ultra-rich. Gas fees on Ethereum fluctuate heavily, often times increasing so high that small transactions become impossible to make. This barrier excludes people and businesses in communities where each dollar makes a real difference. This is where Umbria Network’s low-cost, instantaneous cross-chain transfers come in to change the game. All About the Narni Bridge As it stands, the Narni Bridge intends to focus on this issue head-on.
Think about it. A normal, traditional bank transfer from the US to Kenya could cost an American traveler 5-10% in fees as well as a bad exchange rate. For Amina, that might result in her having to forgo a large portion of her take-home pay. Compared to these platforms, Umbria Network charges much lower fees. This allows people like Amina to fully participate in the global digital economy without being held back by cumbersome legacy financial systems. This isn’t only a political pitch to save taxpayer dollars; it’s an economic imperative to unlock opportunity. It’s financial inclusion in its most honestacyr form. It is about empowering the marginalized.
Local Impact, Global Reach
With all the technical jargon surrounding blockchain and DeFi, it can be confusing to navigate this new world. Let’s change the scene back to earth. What does Umbria Network really represent for Africa?
- Remittances: Millions of Africans rely on remittances from family members working abroad. Umbria Network could provide a faster, cheaper, and more transparent way to send money home, bypassing traditional remittance services.
- Cross-Border Trade: African businesses often face significant challenges in cross-border trade, including high transaction costs and slow payment processing. Umbria Network can facilitate faster, cheaper, and more efficient cross-border transactions.
- Financial Inclusion: A large percentage of the African population remains unbanked. DeFi solutions like Umbria Network can provide access to financial services for those who are excluded from the traditional banking system.
Umbria Network supports Ethereum and other EVM-compatible networks such as Polygon, Avalanche, Binance Smart Chain, Arbitrum and Optimism and has plans to expand further. Combined with this deep support, it creates a world of possible use cases. Readily available information enables users to make informed decisions and choose the network that serves their needs best.
Building Communities, One Block at a Time
Recently I came to know Thabo a passionate new African blockchain enthusiast based in South Africa. He is enthusiastic about creating a prosperous blockchain ecosystem back home. He holds community meetups for the local youth and raises awareness among them on the potential of DeFi. He told an incredible story of the impact of using Umbria Network. Through this platform, he provides young people easy access to DeFi opportunities across multiple blockchains that won’t break the bank.
Thabo’s art is a beautiful reminder of what community advocacy can accomplish. Together, let’s arm people with the information and then give them the tools—such as Umbria Network—to take action. Together, we can build a more inclusive and equitable financial system for Africa. I believe that's something worth fighting for. And that’s why community building is so crucial.
Umbria Network provides cross-chain migration through liquidity pools and incentivizes liquidity providers by rewarding them with fees from transactions. Benefits of staking include no lock-in period, no impermanent loss, and 40% of bridging fees earned in the asset you stake. We think this creates a powerful motivation for users to help the network and earn its benefits by adding more value to it.
Your Call to Action: Join the Revolution
Africa is uniquely positioned to lead the decentralized future of finance, which is why it’s often dubbed as the home of web3’s next frontier. It requires action. Here’s the thing—it’s not easy, and it doesn’t do the work for you, the reader.
Fear and complexity should not be a deterrent. DeFi is a rapidly changing world, and there’s no shortage of new concepts to understand. So, let’s get on board with innovation and work together to build a more inclusive—and prosperous—financial future for Africa. We’re going to do it, one transaction at a time! Together, let’s help Africa find a better financial future. So, let’s not just get up to speed — let’s ensure everyone can access and benefit from tech’s advances.
- Explore Umbria Network: Visit bridge.umbria.network and experiment with the Narni Bridge. See for yourself how easy and affordable it is to transfer crypto assets between blockchains.
- Educate Yourself: Learn more about DeFi and blockchain technology. There are countless online resources available, including articles, videos, and courses.
- Join the Community: Connect with other crypto enthusiasts in Africa. Attend meetups, participate in online forums, and share your knowledge with others.
- Integrate the Bridge Widget V2: If you're a Web3 platform, integrate the Umbria Network's Bridge Widget V2. Provide cheap and fast bridging to your platform users, and earn 0.1% of bridging volume.
This isn’t simply an issue of technology, it’s about empowerment. It’s about building a financial system that includes all Americans, no matter who they are or where they come from. And it starts with you.
This is more than just technology; it's about empowerment. It's about creating a financial system that works for everyone, regardless of their background or location. And it starts with you.
