Given the dream crypto is trying to achieve with consumers regarding payments, nomad life in Kenya has shown me that cash is optional.

As long as you have a phone, anything and everything can be paid using mobile money known as M-Pesa.

The main point of friction is the KYC needed for onboarding onto the system.

What kinds of phones to people typically use for this?

Does the m-pesa onboarding require KYC?

Here for the freedom tech.         
Building at acre.fi. 
                      Contributing at threshold.network. 


Any phone... old feature phones to smart phones. 

Yes, the onboarding requires KYC at a registered agent using a local id or passport.