Kenyan telecom operator Safaricom has joined a sweeping coalition of tech and crypto firms to take down the financial networks that bankroll the illegal wildlife trade, a black market the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates generates up to $23 billion annually.
- Kenyan telecom operator Safaricom has joined a sweeping coalition of tech and crypto firms to take down the financial networks...
- The initiative was announced on Monday during London Climate Action Week through United for Wildlife, a conservation program founded by...
- Safaricom joins global coalition Safaricom is participating alongside telecom operators Vodafone and Vodacom, while several crypto firms and blockchain analytics companies...
- Under the initiative, major technology companies, including Google, Meta, TikTok, and Alibaba, will also use artificial intelligence systems to detect...
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The initiative was announced on Monday during London Climate Action Week through United for Wildlife, a conservation program founded by Prince William and supported by The Royal Foundation.
The partnership brings together companies from the technology, telecommunications, payments, and blockchain sectors to help combat a black market that continues to threaten endangered species worldwide.
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Safaricom joins global coalition
Safaricom is participating alongside telecom operators Vodafone and Vodacom, while several crypto firms and blockchain analytics companies have also joined the effort. According to the coalition, participating companies will deploy technology designed to identify illegal wildlife listings online, monitor suspicious financial activity, and disrupt criminal networks involved in the wildlife trade.
The move places the telecom giant at the centre of a growing push to use digital tools against wildlife trafficking, a trade that conservation groups and international agencies say generates billions of dollars annually.
The company is expected to support efforts by enhancing monitoring capabilities within its digital payments ecosystem.
Under the initiative, major technology companies, including Google, Meta, TikTok, and Alibaba, will also use artificial intelligence systems to detect and remove content linked to the illegal wildlife trade from their platforms. At the same time, crypto firms and blockchain intelligence providers, such as Chainalysis and TRM Labs, will work to trace digital transactions linked to wildlife trafficking networks.
The coalition says the combination of AI-powered detection tools and blockchain analytics will help authorities identify both online sellers and the financial networks that support them.
The approach reflects growing concern that wildlife traffickers are increasingly using digital platforms and alternative payment channels to move products and funds across borders.
Why the wildlife trade remains a global concern
The illegal wildlife trade remains one of the world’s largest illicit markets, affecting species ranging from elephants and rhinos to pangolins and big cats. Conservation groups warn that trafficking contributes to biodiversity loss and pushes vulnerable species closer to extinction.
The partnership builds on Safaricom’s previous conservation-focused projects involving technology and wildlife protection in Kenya.
By joining forces with tech and crypto firms, the company is extending its efforts to combat the illegal wildlife trade through digital monitoring, financial intelligence, and cross-industry collaboration.