Blockradar, a stablecoin wallet infrastructure startup based in Nigeria, has claimed first place at the 2025 Crypto Valley Conference (CVC) Startup Pitch Competition in Zug, Switzerland.
The win catapults Blockradar – and by extension, Africa’s blockchain builders – onto a global stage where embedded finance, decentralized rails, and cross-border innovations are at the forefront of the fintech future.
The annual conference, held in the heart of Crypto Valley, brought together over 1,500 attendees, 125 speakers, and a wide range of startups from around the world, all eager to shape the future of cryptographic technology across finance, identity, compliance, and trade.
TL;DR
Blockradar (Nigeria) wins first place at Crypto Valley Conference 2025
Infrastructure for stablecoin wallets, AML tools, gasless txs
Led by ex-Coinbase/Uber exec Morgan Williams and ex-Lazerpay CTO, Abdulfatai Suleiman
Focused on fintechs in Africa and emerging markets
$850K+ in prize commitments and global visibility
As featured in BitKE coverage of African crypto innovation
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A Global Stage, an African Vision
Representing Blockradar on the CVC25 stage was Morgan Williams, Chief Operating Officer (COO) and a former executive at Coinbase, Uber, and Braintree. Her delivery stood out – not just for staying within the strict five-minute pitch window – but for pairing a compelling narrative with technical clarity. She was also the only finalist to present an introductory video and fielded questions from investors and regulators with poise and precision.
Let me just tell you how it went down! Morgan entered the stage with confidence. She confidently looked at her wrist watch, to make sure she would meet the 5 minute mark. This is important because everyone else pitching went beyond 5 minutes, she seemed to be the only one who… https://t.co/VG68MrReGJ
— Yvonne Kagondu ∞ (@kagondu_yvonne) June 6, 2025
What truly distinguished Williams was her focus on why Blockradar exists: to serve fintechs in Africa and other emerging markets where traditional financial infrastructure is either limited or exclusionary.
Her articulation of mission and market – rather than just features – won strong praise from judges and attendees alike.
From Stealth to Spotlight
Just days before the competition, Abdulfatai Suleiman, Blockradar’s Co-Founder and CEO, had posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the team was aiming for first place. That optimism proved prophetic.
Suleiman, an engineer who previously served as CTO at LazerPay and held roles at PayStack and Patricia, co-founded Blockradar with Williams to unlock the stablecoin economy for underbanked fintechs.
“This was our first public pitch ever,” Suleiman later wrote.
“It’s easy to celebrate the win, but for me, it’s about the late nights, the belief, and the quiet work that got us here.”
Nigerian Web3 Startup, LazerPay, Shuts Down After Failing to Secure Additional Funding
The startup had reportedly raised $1.1 million by April 2022 backed by:
* Shola Akinlade of @paystack * @nuwacapital * @voltronafrica * @Nestcoinhttps://t.co/d2EaTEnCVz
— BitKE (@BitcoinKE) April 17, 2023
In its six-month private beta, Blockradar processed $32 million in on-chain volume, issued over 15,000 wallets, and introduced features like AML compliance tools, gasless transactions, and treasury dashboards. The platform now supports eight blockchain networks, with growing integrations across major African fintechs.
Speaking to BitKE, COO, Morgan Williams, expressed her excitement on the win saying:
“We were really fortunate to be selected.
Some of the winners are already in Seed or Series A and some have large clients.
We didn’t just win. It was a blowout!
We’re feeling really excited and the hard work we’ve been working on has really paid off. Its really validation in what we’re building at Blockradar.”
11 Finalists, One Standout
Blockradar beat out 10 other high-potential early-stage startups, including:
Crymbo
Fija
Flashback
Griffin AI (AI agents for DeFi)
Margarita Finance
NominiS
Notarify
Rebell Pay
Paas
Finalists were judged on:
Feasibility
Originality
Business readiness, and
Execution clarity
The jury included notable names like:
Benedek Orban – CVA & CV Labs
Bastian Wetzel – CV VC
Raphael Grieco – Olive Capital
Max Schneider – Blockwall Capital
Philipp Vonmoos – Solana Foundation
Mathieu Chanson – VeryEarly Ventures
Their vote for Blockradar signals a strong belief in the company’s vision and technical depth.
Strategic Backing and Prizes
Blockradar and other winners received not just recognition, but a range of soft-committed investments and ecosystem advantages:
$400,000 from Blockwall Capital
$300,000 from VeryEarly Ventures
$150,000 CV Labs Accelerator Fast Track
€100,000 potential follow-on from Blockchain Founders Group
$50,000 priority review by Kiln Ventures
Trip to Solana Breakpoint Abu Dhabi (December 2025)
1-Year Crypto Valley Association Corporate Membership
The top three startups also secured free booth space and extended investor matchmaking access during the conference.
a few months ago we were deep in the trenches, building, iterating, and asking ourselves the hard questions that come with doing something new.
today @blockradarhq won place at the @CVConf_ pitch competition hosted by @thecryptovalley in switzerland our very first time… pic.twitter.com/a9b3ocoIAk
— iamnotstatic.eth | Blockradar (@iamnotstatic) June 5, 2025
What CVC25 Signifies for Africa
As BitKE has consistently reported, Blockradar’s victory is emblematic of a broader trend: Africa’s blockchain ecosystem is maturing fast – and with deep intent. No longer just chasing hype, African founders like Suleiman and Williams are building core infrastructure with tangible value.
Blockradar’s focus on stablecoins, compliance, and cross-border enablement responds directly to challenges in remittance flows, inflation-hedging, and regulatory fragmentation across African markets.
With its clear-eyed vision and proven traction, Blockradar now joins a select group of global innovators. But for its founders, the win is only a milestone – not the destination.
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About the Crypto Valley Conference
The Crypto Valley Conference, now in its seventh year, is co-hosted by the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and the Crypto Valley Association.
This year’s themes included:
Institutional crypto infrastructure
Real-world asset tokenization
Venture funding strategies
CBDCs and stablecoin ecosystems
AI, regulation, and decentralized systems
The event also featured masterclasses, a startup showcase, and the iconic Lake Zug boat cruise to close out the summit.
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