Spacecoin, a satellite-internet startup blending blockchain rails with low-Earth-orbit communications, said it has struck new agreements with regulators and telecom partners across Kenya, Nigeria, Indonesia and Cambodia—an expansion it’s positioning as an early step toward commercial deployment in regions where fiber and mobile coverage remain patchy or expensive.
The company’s latest partnerships come weeks after it added three more satellites to orbit on Nov. 28, 2025, a launch that Spacecoin says expands its “CTC-1” constellation and advances tests of inter-satellite communication and handover. Industry publication Via Satellite noted that Space Telecommunications Inc., the operator behind Spacecoin, launched three CTC-1 satellites on a rideshare mission.
Spacecoin says its new agreements span both licensing and pilot deployments. In Kenya, the company said it secured a transmission license from the Communications Authority of Kenya to support satellite-based internet-of-things monitoring and connectivity projects in underserved areas. In Nigeria, Spacecoin said it is building on an existing license from the Nigerian Communications Commission as it pursues rural connectivity pilots.
In Southeast Asia, the company said it is working with local partners and government agencies in Indonesia to expand coverage across the archipelago, where geography complicates terrestrial buildouts. It also announced a partnership with Cambodian internet provider MekongNet to extend satellite-powered connectivity to rural communities.
The company did not disclose commercial terms, rollout timelines, or the scope of the planned proof-of-concept deployments in each country. Spacecoin said it would supply core satellite and network technology, while local partners handle ground operations, regulatory coordination and end-user support.
A DePIN pitch in a Starlink-dominated market
Spacecoin is attempting to differentiate itself from dominant satellite broadband networks such as SpaceX’s Starlink by pitching a decentralized model—often described in crypto circles as a “DePIN,” or decentralized physical infrastructure network—where participation in the network and certain operational functions could be opened up more broadly over time.
The company has been using technical demonstrations to build credibility. In October 2025, Spacecoin said it routed what it described as the first end-to-end blockchain transaction “through space,” sending data from one ground point to another via satellite without relying on terrestrial internet infrastructure—work it discussed publicly as part of its plan to become a decentralized alternative to Starlink.
That narrative has found an audience in emerging markets, where satellite is increasingly viewed as both a backstop for disasters and a faster route to connectivity than digging trenches for fiber. It’s also landing in a regulatory environment that is evolving quickly. In Kenya, for instance, regulators have considered changes that would raise licensing fees for satellite internet providers—part of a broader push to update frameworks as new entrants proliferate.
What Spacecoin is trying to prove next
Spacecoin says the newly deployed CTC-1 satellites are intended to demonstrate real-time intersatellite communication and seamless handover—capabilities that matter if the company wants to move beyond one-off tests and into persistent service across large geographies.
The company has previously outlined ambitions to offer ultra-low-cost connectivity in emerging markets, including a plan discussed in industry media to target a roughly $2-per-month service and scale coverage over time. While pricing and performance targets remain unverified absent a commercial launch, that cost positioning—if achieved—would undercut typical satellite broadband pricing and could pressure incumbents to introduce lower-bandwidth tiers or different wholesale models.
Spacecoin’s latest announcements amount to a mix of regulatory beachheads and pilot commitments rather than full commercial launches. The near-term question for investors and telecom partners will be whether the company can translate a small constellation and localized proof-of-concepts into reliable, scalable service—especially in markets where spectrum rules, landing rights, and consumer affordability can make or break satellite business models.
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