Sonya Kuhnel

Sonya Kuhnel has been interested in cryptocurrencies since late 2013 when she started a bitcoin payment company called Bitcoin Payments, a BitPay Affiliate partner, which allowed online merchants in South Africa to accept bitcoin as a payment method for goods and services. In 2014, Sonya co-founded Bitcoin Events, a company that hosts South Africa's leading cryptocurrency and blockchain events, namely the Blockchain Africa Conferences, DeFi Conference as well as the Crypto Fest. The conferences attract local and international venture capitalists, government delegates, top-level executives from large financial institutions as well as experts in the industry. In 2015, Sonya founded the Bitcoin Academy, later renamed to the Blockchain Academy, the first of its kind in South Africa, which provides training and consulting on blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies, globally. Sonya is also the Co-founder and Crypto and Blockchain Specialist at Xago, a Cape Town-based company offering an XRP cryptocurrency exchange, gateway and payment platform for retailers enabling fast and cost-effective payments using the Ripple blockchain. Sonya is also the co-organiser of the Cape Town Bitcoin Meetup Group.