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South Africa’s Perceived Pro-Russia Stance May Result in Secondary Sanctions Which Threaten Financial Stability — Central Bank
30.5.2023
The South African central bank has said the that perception that the African nation has aligned itself with Russia could result in the imposition of secondary sanctions which threaten financial stability. The bank also warned in its latest financial stability review that such a perception poses...
South African Rand Plunges to New Low After Benchmark Interest Rate Is Raised to 14-Year High
29.5.2023
The South African fiat currency’s exchange rate versus the U.S. dollar plunged to a new all-time low of 19.7640 per dollar on May 25 just moments after the South African Reserve Bank raised the benchmark interest rate to its highest since 2009. Although the currency has since made some...
Report: Regulations Governing Tokenized Deposits and Crypto Assets in South Africa Set to Effect in January 2025
26.3.2023
Regulations governing tokenized deposits and crypto assets are likely to become effective on Jan. 1, 2025, a senior fintech analyst at the South African central bank has revealed. However, according to the analyst, regulators are still trying to understand or learn the risks that come with using...
South Africa Added to FATF ‘Grey List’ Despite Designation of Crypto as a Financial Product
26.2.2023
In a move seen as a major setback for South Africa, the international financial watchdog, the Financial Action Task Force, announced on Feb. 24 that it had added the country to its “grey list.” Getting grey-listed by the financial watchdog potentially makes it difficult for South Africa...
WEF 2023: CBDCs need to find a 'real problem' to solve, says SARB governor
18.1.2023
The central bank governor highlighted that the South African Reserve Bank would rather follow than become a first mover in retail CBDCs
South African Professor Accuses Central Bank Official of Spreading Misinformation That Damages Crypto Industry
3.8.2022
A South African professor, Steven Boykey Sidley, has branded as “balderdash” claims by the South African central bank deputy governor that “90% of cryptocurrency transactions” are illicit. The professor also accused the senior central bank official of spreading...
South African Crypto Investors and Service Providers Told of Legal and Tax Implications of Central Bank’s Plan
17.7.2022
South African tax consultancy firm Tax Consulting SA, has said the recent announcement by the central bank — that will start to regulate cryptocurrency in 12 to 18 months — has legal and tax implications for both crypto investors and organizations providing intermediary services....
South African Central Bank Now Considers Cryptocurrency to Be a Financial Asset
15.7.2022
The deputy governor of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) recently said the institution has changed its position on cryptocurrency, and now regards it to be a financial asset which must be regulated as such. The SARB expects to have a cryptocurrency regulatory framework in place by the end...
Bitcoin not a currency? South Africa to regulate crypto as financial asset
13.7.2022
South Africa’s Reserve Bank will regulate cryptocurrencies as financial assets, and new laws are expected over the next 12 months
South African Central Bank Governor: Regulators and Policymakers Must Be Involved in Shaping Potential Move to DLT Markets
9.4.2022
The head of the South African central bank has insisted that regulators and policymakers should be involved in directing any potential move to markets that are based on distributed ledger technology (DLT). Pondering the Implications of Innovation The governor of the South African Reserve Bank...
South Africa finishes technical PoC for wholesale CBDC settlement system
8.4.2022
The South African Reserve Bank stated further work would be undertaken to study the findings from the project and used to inform policy and regulatory responses to DLT and CBDCs
South African Central Bank Governor Reiterates: ‘Crypto Is Not Currency’
30.8.2021
The governor of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB), Lesetja Kganyago, has reiterated the central bank’s longstanding belief that cryptocurrencies like bitcoin are not currencies. According to Kganyago, crypto-assets, as he prefers to call them, are not currencies because they fail to meet...
Kenyan Insurance Executive Calls Cryptocurrencies Ponzi Schemes, Warns Users This Will ‘End in Tears’
2.8.2021
A Kenyan insurance executive, Julius Kipng’etich has compared cryptocurrencies like bitcoin to Ponzi schemes and has urged his countrymen not “touch this.” In addition, Kipng’etich warned those already involved in crypto trading to be prepared for the consequences as this...
Central Bank Governor: South Africa’s Digital Currency Study Ongoing
31.7.2021
South African Reserve Bank (SARB) governor, Lesetja Kganyago, has once again confirmed that the central bank is presently studying the feasibility of issuing a digital currency. In his remarks at the SARB’s annual general meeting, governor Kganyago suggested his organization has embarked...
South African Central Bank Warns Citizens Against Accepting Tainted Banknotes
20.7.2021
A week after more than 1,400 ATMs in South Africa were attacked during a looting spree, the country’s central bank is now asking citizens to reject banknotes that are stained with traces of blue and green ink. Increasing Circulation of Stained Banknotes According to an EWN report, the South...
South Africa Working Group Releases New Position Paper Calling for Regulation of Crypto Asset Providers
13.6.2021
South Africa’s Intergovernmental Fintech Working Group (IFWG) has a released new position paper that calls for the regulation of the country’s cryptocurrency ecosystem. In the document, the IFWG, which is a creation of the South Africa Reserve Bank (SARB), recommends “a staged...
South Africa Reserve Bank Commences Retail CBDC Feasibility Study
27.5.2021
The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) says it has commenced a feasibility study for a general-purpose retail central bank digital currency (CBDC). The study, which the SARB expects to conclude in 2022, will focus on the issuance of a domestic CBDC that can be used by consumers in South Africa...
South Africa's central bank begins preliminary study for retail CBDC
25.5.2021
The South African Reserve Bank has begun exploratory studies on central bank digital currencies