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Tether Surpasses Previous Market Cap Record, Reaching $83.23 Billion
1.6.2023
On June 1, 2023, the stablecoin issuer Tether exceeded the dollar-linked token USDT’s previous all-time market capitalization record of $83.2 billion, which was set in May 2022. In the last 186 days, USDT’s market value has surged by 27.15% from the low of $65.43 billion reached...
Kenyan President William Ruto Urges African Countries to Commence Process to Ditch the Dollar
1.6.2023
Kenyan President William Ruto recently urged his counterparts on the African continent to kickstart the process of ditching the U.S. dollar and replacing it with a pan-African settlement system. Ruto said the Pan-African Payments and Settlement System (PAPSS) allows business people to focus...
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...
Brazil Sees BRICS Bank as Alternative Financial Institution, President Lula Says
27.5.2023
The government of Brazil views the development bank established by the BRICS bloc as an alternative to traditional financial institutions, the country’s head of state told African diplomats. President Lula da Silva also vowed that the bank will improve cooperation with its African counterpart....
Study: Africa Likely to Leapfrog Leading Fintech Regions if It Adopts New Technologies
25.5.2023
Africa will likely leapfrog the top fintech regions if startups on the continent adopt new technologies, the Global Fintech 2023 report by the Boston Consulting Group and QED Investors has said. The report points to the African continent’s young population as well as the projected population...
African Fintech M-Kopa Secures $200M in Debt Financing Plus $55M in Equity Funding
24.5.2023
Kenya-headquartered African fintech M-Kopa is reported to have secured $200 million in debt financing and an additional $55 million in equity funding. Financial services group Standard Bank Group led the debt financing round while the investment company Sumitomo Corporation led the equity round...
Central African Republic gets IMF optimism a year into Bitcoin adoption
24.5.2023
The International Monetary Fund projects 2.2% GDP growth and manageable debt but warns of liquidity risks
Study: 40% of Surveyed African Banks See Fintech and Telcos as ‘High Threats’
20.5.2023
About 40% of 153 African banks surveyed by the latest African Banker annual report said they regard “fintechs and telcos as high threats,” while 69% see artificial intelligence as the “most important technology shaping the industry in the near future.” According to...
South African Currency Plunges to New Low Versus the Dollar a Day After the US Accused Country of Secretly Supplying Ammunition to Russia
14.5.2023
The South African currency’s exchange rate versus the U.S. dollar plunged to a new all-time low of ZAR19.51:US$1 on May 12. The rand’s latest fall came a day after the U.S. ambassador to South Africa accused the country of secretly supplying weapons to Russia. Banking giant JP Morgan...
South African Minister Tells BRICS Nations Not to Rush Decision on Common Currency
11.5.2023
The South African minister of international relations, Naledi Pandor, has urged Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) countries to be wary of making a hurried decision when they meet in August to discuss launching a common currency. Pandor said her country will “not shy away...
BRICS Leaders Set to Discuss Common Currency to Challenge US Dollar Dominance in Upcoming Summit
11.5.2023
The BRICS nations are set to discuss the feasibility of a common currency at the upcoming leaders’ summit. “It’s a matter we must discuss and discuss properly,” a South African minister stressed, noting that a growing number of countries are saying: “Why can’t we trade in our own currencies?...
US Court Orders Operator of South African Bitcoin Ponzi Scheme to Pay Over $3.4 Billion
2.5.2023
Johann Steynberg, the founder and CEO of Mirror Trading International, has been ordered to pay over $1.73 billion in restitution to victims of his bitcoin ponzi scheme. The court has also ordered Steynberg to pay a civil monetary penalty of a similar amount. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission...
South African Mirror Trading's CEO Fined $3.4B by U.S. in Bitcoin Forex Fraud Case
28.4.2023
The founder of bitcoin pool operator MTI was charged with fraud last year for running an unlicensed commodity pool scheme
Crypto exchange Roqqu receives South African approval to expand operations
20.4.2023
Nigerian crypto exchange Roqqu received the green light to operate in South Africa, providing on and off-ramps to South Africa's Rand currency
African Blockchain Business Funding Rose 429% in 2022 — Report
20.4.2023
In 2022, African blockchain businesses raised a total of $474 million, a 429% increase from what was raised in the year earlier, the latest CVVC African blockchain funding report has revealed. The custody and exchanges category raised over $250 million, which is equivalent to more than 50% of funds...
African blockchain ventures outpace global funding growth: Report
18.4.2023
Africa witnessed a 429% YoY increase in venture funding in 2022, with the majority of funding coming from Seychelles and South Africa
TBD and Yellow Card to Enable Fiat On and Off-Ramp Payments in 16 African Countries via BTC
18.4.2023
TBD and the Africa-focused cryptocurrency exchange platform Yellow Card recently partnered to launch a fiat on and off-ramp that enables payments in some 16 African countries through Bitcoin rails. The objective of this arrangement is to make cross-border payments not only more affordable...
CoinDesk Indices Joins With Luno to Help South African Users Track Crypto Investment Bundles
17.4.2023
The partnership will see launch of Luno Large Cap Bundle, helping customers to easily manage and maintain different investment strategies
Zebedee Partnership With Bitnob Sees African Gamers Rewarded With BTC
15.4.2023
African users of the bitcoin gaming and payments app Zebedee will now be rewarded in the form of satoshis when they play games or when they listen to podcasts. In addition to being able to convert their rewards into local currencies, African users of the Zebedee app can use it to make cross-border...