At the heart of the African Savannah exists an application that pays with the OG currency in Web3. Anywhere in Kenya with Bitcoin, building on the Lightning Network, Tando is leveraging the massive distribution the existing mobile money platform (Mpesa) has had, which is an estimated 92%+ in the country’s population of around 57 million. 

Or shall we say, East Africa? Here's a video. 

Why does it matter? 

Fiat, a currency backed by a government, has an unlimited supply, which makes it inflationary. This incentivizes the super rich. So what happens to the rest of us just trying to make a living? 

Imagine… No, it’s real, a rural area in your village that has a grocery shop (duka). Nothing big. Nothing fancy. They are about 70 square feet, sometimes family-owned retail shops.

Since 70%+ of Kenyans still live in rural or peri-urban areas, dukas are a common sight and an integral part of the informal economy in Kenya. They sell almost everything, from food items to personal care products to the occasional electronic device. And they can now use Bitcoin. 

Let me show you how Tando works: 

1. Select the items you want to buy in the duka 

2. Open the Tando app

3. The screen will give you a selection to pick from: Send Money, Buy Goods, Pay Bill, Scan QR code

4. In the duka, pick: Pay Bill (the merchant can guide you on what to choose)

5. Enter Pay Bill Number

6. Enter Account Number (usually the merchant’s preferred phone number)

7. Enter the amount you wish to pay

8. Tando will then prompt you to Create Invoice

9. Click on Pay Invoice with Sats (fractions of a Bitcoin)

10. Choose your preferred Bitcoin wallet with Lightning Network capabilities.

This wallet will transfer your Sats to Tando, straight to the merchant’s Mpesa mobile wallet. The merchant will receive a message notifying them that you have paid. However, it will show this in Kenya's fiat currency (KES). All without the merchant knowing you paid with Bitcoin. 

Tando believes in covering all your transaction fees as a way to incentivize you to transition to a Bitcoin standard. 

Let's look at the reasons why Tando built with Bitcoin compared to fiat currency

1. Monetary Policy & Supply: Fiat - central banks can print more money, which can lead to inflation or even hyperinflation if mismanaged, while Bitcoin has a supply capped at 21 million coins, making it deflationary by design and resistant to inflationary policies.

2. Decentralization vs. Control: Fiat - controlled by governments and central banks. Your access can be restricted (e.g., frozen accounts, capital controls), while Bitcoin runs on a decentralized, peer-to-peer network.

No single authority can shut it down, censor transactions, or seize your coins (if you control your private keys).

3. Transparency & Trust: Fiat - you rely on institutions to manage money, but corruption, policy errors, and lack of transparency are common, while with Bitcoin, every transaction is recorded on a public blockchain, which is auditable and verifiable by anyone.

4. Cross-Border Transactions: Fiat - sending money internationally can be slow, expensive, and requires intermediaries (banks, remittance companies), while Bitcoin allows near-instant transfers globally, often at lower costs, without needing permission.

5. Financial Inclusion: Fiat - billions of people remain “unbanked” due to lack of access to banks or IDs, while with Bitcoin, anyone with a smartphone and internet can participate in the global economy.

Although Mpesa can work with a feature phone and without the internet, which other Bitcoin platforms have utilized in the continent, but that’s an article for another day.

6. Store of Value Debate: Fiat - loses value over time due to inflation. A $100 today buys less in 10 years, while Bitcoin advocates argue it’s “digital gold”, scarce and potentially a hedge against inflation (though volatile in the short term).

7. Programmability: Fiat - limited flexibility beyond payments, unless layered with fintech apps, while Bitcoin can be integrated with smart contracts, lightning network, and tokenized assets, expanding its use cases beyond money.

Numerous articles, podcasts and news pieces talk about the disadvantages of using Bitcoin for everyday purchases: volatility, scalability, adoption. Tando debunks these sentiments hands down.

“Everyone wins when we transition to the future of finance.” 

Disclaimer: The information on this article is for general informational purposes only. This is not financial advice.