Trezor Academy: 150 Million Swahili Speakers Can Now Learn Bitcoin in Their Language

PRESS RELEASE.

More than 150 million people speak Swahili across Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo — regions where interest in bitcoin is growing, but educational materials in local languages remain scarce. This has long limited access to essential knowledge about how bitcoin works and how to use it safely.

A recent step toward changing that is the release of Bitcoin: Kutenganisha Pesa Na Serikali, a Swahili-language translation of Bitcoin: Separation of Money and State, written by bitcoin educator Josef Tětek. The book is now being distributed for free across East Africa.

The publication is part of Trezor Academy, a nonprofit educational project that delivers in-person bitcoin learning sessions in underserved communities. Since 2023, the Academy has operated in more than two dozen countries, reaching over 1,500 participants. It focuses on practical, localized teaching about bitcoin fundamentals and self-custody — especially in areas where financial infrastructure is limited. In addition to the book, the Academy also offers a Swahili-language version of its educational slide deck, used by local instructors to guide interactive sessions and reinforce key concepts.

Making Bitcoin Education More Accessible

The translation was completed by Exonumia, a project that specializes in adapting bitcoin content into African languages. Their team of native speakers handled the translation with funding from grants, aiming to ensure the result is both accurate and easy to understand for everyday readers.

By offering this book in Swahili, the goal is to support local educators and help them explain complex financial topics in a way that resonates with their communities. In many areas, English remains a barrier — especially for people in lower-income neighborhoods or rural settings.

The idea for the translation was sparked at the Africa Bitcoin Conference 2024 in Nairobi, where the team behind the Swahili edition of The Bitcoin Standard shared their work. Conversations at the event underscored the importance of language in building trust and expanding access.

Local Impact Across East Africa

Printed copies of the book are being sent to Trezor Academy programs in Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Burundi, and the DRC. These initiatives typically involve small-group, peer-led learning, where participants can engage directly with educators from their own communities.

“With this translation, educators in Trezor Academy Kenya, Burundi, DRC, and Tanzania will be able to teach bitcoin not just in people’s native language, but with cultural clarity. It also empowers them to become messengers — sharing these ideas with neighbors, friends, and families who may never have had access to English-language materials. It’s not just about reading a book. It’s about growing a movement.”

– Josef Tětek, Trezor Academy Lead and author of Bitcoin: Separation of Money and State

Trezor Academy supports approximately 40 grassroots programs per year. The Swahili edition of the book will now serve as a foundational resource for many of them — helping spread knowledge of financial sovereignty in a more accessible and relatable way.

About Trezor Academy

Trezor Academy is an educational initiative by Trezor, the original bitcoin hardware wallet company founded in 2013. The Academy operates as a nonprofit project focused on bringing practical, inclusive bitcoin education to communities that need it most — often in local languages and through trusted local educators.

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