The Nigerian currency, which has been depreciating against the U.S. dollar in the past few weeks, has completely erased its gains from early April, making it the worst-performing currency in the world. The decline of the naira is attributed to Nigeria’s ongoing foreign exchange shortages. One economist expects the pressure on the currency to peak…
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Stakeholders in Nigeria’s cryptocurrency sector argue that the Central Bank of Nigeria’s previous decision to exclude cryptocurrency entities from the banking ecosystem has fueled the growth of peer-to-peer crypto trading. Nigerian authorities are reportedly seeking to ban peer-to-peer crypto trading. One stakeholder has urged participants in the Nigerian crypto space to ‘identify the bad actors…
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Zambia’s worsening shortage of foreign exchange as well as one of its worst droughts in recent memory saw the local currency drop to a record low of K27.3 to the dollar. As explained in the report, the kwacha has lost as much as 17% in the past six months. Forex Shortages: The Impact of Drought…
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The Nigerian government has dismissed allegations from Binance CEO Richard Teng that representatives of the cryptocurrency exchange were solicited for a $150 million bribe by members of the House Committee on Financial Crimes (HCFC). A special assistant to the Nigerian Information Minister characterized Teng’s bribery claim as part of a coordinated international campaign by Binance…
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A recent research paper from the National Bank of Rwanda recommends a two-tier, universal, zero-interest central bank digital currency (CBDC) with partial pseudo-anonymity. Although the research paper identifies 15 opportunities for CBDC, only four are said to offer “high potential benefits and limited alternative choices to obtain similar advantages.” Research Paper Identifies 15 CBDC Opportunities…
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Binance CEO Richard Teng has warned that Nigeria’s decision to invite and subsequently detain mid-level employees on what he calls “spurious” charges sets “a dangerous precedent for companies worldwide.” Teng stated that certain lawmakers in Nigeria demanded a significant payment in cryptocurrency to dismiss the charges against Binance. Binance CEO Laments ‘Spurious’ Charges Against Tigran…
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The Director General of Nigeria’s Securities Regulator has announced plans to delist the local currency from peer-to-peer cryptocurrency trading platforms in the coming days. He insisted that the decision to delist the naira aims to eliminate the manipulation of the local currency by P2P cryptocurrency traders. P2P Crypto Transactions Ban The Nigerian Securities and Exchange…
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The Kenyan President William Ruto recently revealed that his government has appointed Bitcoin mining company Marathon Digital as its consultant to review its cryptocurrency regime. The U.S.-based Bitcoin miner is reportedly set to discuss electricity usage in cryptocurrency mining with the Kenyan Energy Ministry. Kenya’s Policy Shift Kenyan President William Ruto recently announced that his…
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A Nigerian court recently adjourned the trial of Binance and its executive, Tigran Gambaryan, to May 17. The adjournment came after the cryptocurrency exchange’s attorney stated that he had not received the necessary documents to prepare a defense. However, Nigerian authorities reportedly provided the attorney with an additional 300-page document containing further evidence during a…
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Nigerian authorities are reportedly planning to prohibit financial institutions from facilitating peer-to-peer cryptocurrency transactions. According to a report, Nigeria’s Office of the National Security Adviser has classified cryptocurrency trading as a national security concern. Three fintech startups, known for enabling such transactions, have been directed to block and report peer-to-peer cryptocurrency transactions to law enforcement…
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