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Global BTC Trading App Strike Launches ‘First Fully-Featured Region Outside the US’
29.2.2024
The fiat and bitcoin payments app, Strike, has launched its “first fully-featured region outside the U.S.” According to Jack Mallers, the founder and CEO of Strike, the African continent presents “immense opportunities for financial innovation and economic freedom.” High...
Kaiko Report Shows Latam Harnessing Crypto Mostly for ‘Real World’ Use Cases
19.8.2022
The latest data debrief issued by Kaiko, a provider of digital assets market data, has found that while there is retail movement in Latam regarding crypto assets, most liquidity is directed to “real world” use cases. Among these activities are remittances, stablecoin-based yield...
Robinhood Opens Crypto Wallets to 2M Clients, Bets on Global Bitcoin Remittances
29.4.2022
Earlier this month, the US online trading platform Robinhood provided about 2m customers from its waitlist with crypto wallets, and this week completed the full roll-out of this functionality to all clients, the company said on the occasion of the release of its results for the first quarter...
Bitcoin Remittances to El Salvador Surge 300% Ahead of BTC Becoming Legal Tender
15.6.2021
Bitcoin remittances to El Salvador jumped more than fourfold in May from the previous year, according to data from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis. Last week, El Salvador passed a bill making bitcoin legal tender in the country alongside the U.S. dollar. The monthly bitcoin transfers of under...
Official Remittance Inflows to Zimbabwe Surged to $1 Billion After Covid-19 Restrictions Forced Migrants to Use Formal Channels
13.5.2021
Cross border remittances into Zimbabwe surged to $1 billion in 2020, more than a 36% increase from the $636m that was recorded in 2019. This surge in remittances occurred despite the “steep decline in economic activity in host countries, which in turn made it difficult for migrants in...
Some African Crypto Users See Bitcoin as an Alternative Source of Retirement Income
1.5.2021
Bitcoin use cases in African countries continue to expand with the latest one being its use as an alternative source of retirement income. On a continent plagued by high inflation and unstable currencies, bitcoin, which is decentralized and censorship-resistant, is seen “as a safer source...
African Migrants Are Turning to Cryptocurrency Platforms for ‘Low-Fee Remittances’
31.3.2021
As central banks on the African continent fight to keep cryptocurrencies from going mainstream, many more migrant workers are increasingly turning to money-sending platforms that use cryptocurrencies when moving funds across borders. More Than Just an Investment Thus in addition to becoming...
IMF Representative of Nigeria Calls for Caution Over the Use of Cryptocurrencies
20.2.2021
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) resident representative for Nigeria, Ari Aisen recently discussed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directive that targets crypto entities. In remarks made during a special virtual press briefing, Aisen repeats some of the CBN’s claims that...
Nigeria Crypto Ban: Stakeholder Body, Politicians Assail Central Bank’s Directive to Financial Institutions
16.2.2021
A body representing cryptocurrency and blockchain stakeholders in Nigeria has joined other crypto industry players in assailing the recent Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directive to banks. The CBN order, which seeks snuff out crypto entities from the banking system, took effect on February 5, 2020....
Central Bank of Nigeria Orders Banks to Close Accounts of Crypto Clients as Remittances via Traditional Corridors Drop by 97%
6.2.2021
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has circulated a letter directing banks and financial institutions to identify and close accounts of cryptocurrency transacting entities. The directive, which took immediate effect, threatens “severe regulatory sanctions” to financial institutions that...
Remittance Costs Lower in Q3 World Bank Study Shows – Only Cryptocurrencies Meeting UN Goal
30.10.2020
The latest study by the World Bank shows that it costs 4.98% on average to remit funds to South Asia which makes it the least expensive region while sub-Sahara Africa is the most expensive with an average cost of 8.47%. The quarterly study also finds that it is costlier to remit funds when using...
Cubans Turn to Bitcoin Remittances with 25% Commission to Beat Blockade
27.10.2020
Desperate Cubans are going to extraordinary lengths to receive remittances from abroad to circumvent the country’s banking blockade, turning to bitcoin (BTC), middlemen who take commissions of up to 25% and bicycle deliveries as economic sanctions continue to bite.
These were the findings of...
Nigerian Crypto Startup Yellow Card Raises $1.5 Million For Expansion in Africa
31.8.2020
Yellow Card has raised $1.5 million in a seed round. The Nigerian crypto startup said it will use the money to expand its operations in Africa while making it easier for people on the continent to buy and sell digital assets. Investors in the new round include Polychain, venture capital firm...
High Fees Make BTC Less Appealing for Remittances in Africa: ‘Pray Blocks Happen Quickly’
13.8.2020
Bitcoin trading volumes are on the rise on the African continent despite the ongoing concerns about the high network fees. Data shows peer to peer bitcoin trading platforms recorded spiked growth in volumes starting in April. This was the same time as many countries implemented lockdown measures....