Following the Virtual Asset Service Providers Association (VASPA) Executive Council meeting on 20 August 2026, the Franklin Peters-led leadership resolved to implement a strategic realignment of our membership structure. Alongside critical discussions on Project Green-White-Green (PGWG), regulatory engagement, media and communications, and Secretariat operations, the Council determined that VASPA must strictly align its membership model with its core mandate as an industry trade body.
To that end, we are thrilled to announce the formal introduction of the Affiliate Tier, which will operate alongside our established Corporate Membership and Partnership Tiers.
The Affiliate Tier is specifically designed to bring non-commercial ecosystem builders—such as advocacy groups, research institutions, Web3 communities, academic institutions, and policy think-tanks—into the VASPA network. By becoming an Affiliate, eligible organizations can directly collaborate with us to co-develop research, shape industry standards, and advocate for progressive virtual asset frameworks across Africa.
Category: Affiliate Tier (No annual fee applies)
Criteria for Affiliation
To qualify for the Affiliate Tier, interested bodies must meet the following criteria:
- Be a recognized non-commercial ecosystem builder (e.g., advocacy group, research institution, Web3 community, academic institution, or policy think-tank).
- Demonstrate and document alignment with VASPA’s vision, mission, objectives, and core values.
- Formally execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) defining specific terms, the scope of collaboration, and mutual obligations.
- Complete KYC verification, including evidence of institutional registration, academic charter, or formal community incorporation.
- Participate in an introductory alignment meeting with the VASPA Secretariat or designated Committee leadership.
Benefits of Becoming an Affiliate
Business Development & Brand Amplification
- Featured listing in the VASPA Affiliate & Partner Directory.
- Mutual logo placement and official brand association on respective websites (governed by the MoU).
- Joint press release and social media amplification announcing the formal affiliation.
- Co-hosting and co-branding opportunities for industry townhalls, webinars, and ecosystem events.
- Direct amplification of the Affiliate’s research, initiatives, and community events through VASPA’s official media channels.
- Complimentary exhibition space or representation at VASPA community events (subject to relevance and availability).
- Opportunities to cross-promote educational programs or community initiatives directly to VASPA’s corporate members.
Education & Resources
- Full early access to VASPA’s published industry research, policy briefs, and whitepapers.
- Explicit opportunities to co-author, collaborate on, and publish joint industry reports, data surveys, or academic papers.
- Complimentary virtual event passes for community members, faculty, or student delegates.
- Authority to submit educational or research content for certification and distribution through the VASPA network.
- Shared access to ecosystem data and market analytics (where permitted by data protection policies).
Governance & Policy
- Consultative and observer status on relevant VASPA Working Groups and technical committees.
- Direct participation in joint regulatory advocacy initiatives, position papers, and public consultations.
- Invitations to periodic ecosystem roundtable discussions with industry leaders and policymakers.
- Access to private VASPA policy briefings and regulatory landscape updates.
- The opportunity to act as a technical advisor or academic sounding board for the Policy & Regulatory Affairs Committee.
Direct Affiliate Access
- Direct communication channels to the Secretariat for joint initiative planning.
- Unlimited access to shared digital resource libraries, publication archives, and regulatory policy repositories.
Leadership Perspectives on the Affiliate Tier
“To ensure our regulatory advocacy and ecosystem growth are as robust and inclusive as possible, we must recognize that the virtual asset sector isn’t just built by exchanges and custodians,” stated Franklin Peters, Executive Chair of VASPA. “It is built by various stakeholders, from industry advocacy groups and associations to think-tanks, research and academic institutions, and professional bodies that, one way or the other, also contribute to laying the intellectual and community foundations for this technology. The Affiliate Tier allows us to formally integrate these vital ecosystem builders and advocates into VASPA, ensuring our engagements with the government represent the full breadth of the digital economy.”
Senator Ihenyen, Chair of the Ecosystem Growth and Advocacy Committee, emphasized the strategic importance of this new tier: “Advocacy in a frontier market requires intellectual rigor and unified community voices, not only capital. By opening VASPA’s doors to advocacy groups, Chambers of Commerce, professional bodies, and similar bodies at zero cost, we are tearing down silos and building a cohesive policy consortium. The Affiliate Tier is our mechanism to ensure that as Africa transitions into an era where industry interest is collectively managed as a public trust while the voices of independent bodies and think-tanks in the ecosystem hold a permanent seat at the regulatory table.”
VASPA is already in advanced talks with potential affiliates, including independent bodies such as the Chamber of Digital Assets and Blockchain Innovation (CDABI-Ghana), the Virtual Assets Association of Kenya (VAAK), the Virtual Assets Chamber of Commerce (VACC), and other similar bodies with whom VASPA shares common values and objectives.
Join Us in Shaping Africa's Digital Economy
We invite eligible organizations that share our commitment to trust, innovation, and regulatory clarity to apply for the Affiliate Tier. Together, we can build a resilient, forward-thinking virtual asset ecosystem for Africa. Here’s the application form.
For inquiries or to initiate the affiliation process, please reach out to the VASPA Secretariat: secretariat@vaspa.org.
About Us
The Virtual Asset Service Providers Association (VASPA) is a Pan-African industry body registered as an Incorporated Trustee with the Corporate Affairs Commission in Nigeria (CAC IT: 79069970) where it is headquartered. VASPA comprises individual, corporate, and institutional members from across Africa. For more information about us, please visit our website, www.vaspa.org. To become a Patron or Partner of VASPA, visit our Membership page: https://vaspa.org/become-a-member/. Individual and corporate members are also welcomed.
