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Nigeria's central bank plans CBDC pilot launch before the end of 2021
11.6.2021
The Central Bank of Nigeria says it is gearing up to test a sovereign digital currency to ease foreign remittance restrictions
Nigerian Lawmakers Slam Naira Devaluation, Warn of Inflation Implications
11.6.2021
Nigeria’s House of Representatives has moved a motion calling on the country’s central bank to end the continuing devaluation of the naira. In his unanimously adopted motion, House Representative Bamidele Salam warned the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) of the negative “implications...
BIS joins France and Switzerland's central banks on cross-border CBDC project
10.6.2021
The central bank digital currency project will test cross-border settlement between French and Swiss fiat currencies
Stablecoins not that radical, says Bank of England official
10.6.2021
The Bank of England's executive director of the Financial Market Infrastructure Directorate says that stablecoins are hardly “launching us off into some brave new world.”
‘All Banks Go Fintech’: Hong Kong Unveils ‘Fintech 2025’ Strategy
10.6.2021
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) plans to guide local banks towards full adoption of fintech technologies, a new strategy reveals. The region’s central banking institution also stressed that it’s going to “walk the talk” by digitalizing its own supervision...
Iran’s President Wants Crypto ‘Laws and Instructions’ Implemented as Soon as Possible
9.6.2021
Iranian president Hassan Rouhani discussed cryptocurrencies at the most recent meeting of the government’s Economic Coordination Board and told participants that regulatory policy is needed to protect consumers. Rouhani believes the Iranian government should “communicate the necessary...
Hong Kong to Connect Digital Yuan With Domestic Payments System in Cross-Border Trials
9.6.2021
Financial authorities in Hong Kong have announced a second phase of trials for mainland China’s digital currency. As part of the upcoming tests, the city will link the Chinese digital yuan to its domestic payments system to evaluate the CBDC’s usability in cross-border scenarios. Hong...
Members of East Africa Community Explore Potential Use of CBDC for Alternative Regional Payment System
9.6.2021
Six East African states are reportedly set to explore the possibility of using central bank digital currencies (CBDC) as an alternative to their shared payment system. The six countries, which are all members of the East Africa Community (EAC) trading bloc, are hoping this alternative will create...
Hong Kong includes central bank digital currency in fintech strategy
8.6.2021
Research into central bank digital currencies will play a significant role in Hong Kong’s fintech development efforts
Kenyan Banks Warn Clients Against Crypto Trading
8.6.2021
A few Kenyan banks have started sending out warning alerts to clients engaged in cryptocurrency trading to be wary of the associated risks. These warnings have reportedly been sent to clients who have “used their credit and debit cards to buy cryptocurrencies on crypto exchanges.”...
BoE tackles ‘difficult and pertinent’ questions about digital money
7.6.2021
The Bank of England has published a new discussion paper that tries to gauge the systemic implications of both private stablecoins and a central bank digital currency
G7 Finance Chiefs to Publish Common Rules for State-Issued Digital Currencies This Year
6.6.2021
The G7 finance ministers and central bank governors have met and agreed to work towards common principles for state-backed digital currencies and publish their conclusions this year. They said these digital currencies “could act as both a liquid, safe settlement asset and as an anchor for...
Shanghai to Hand Out $3 Million in Digital Yuan Lottery
6.6.2021
As part of government efforts to get the digital yuan going, authorities in Shanghai will distribute $3 million worth of the central bank-issued currency among residents of Shanghai. The digital money will be dispersed through a lottery, a method that has already been implemented elsewhere...
African Fintech Start-up Chipper Cash Raises $100 Million — CEO Says No Crypto Services for Nigeria
6.6.2021
Chipper Cash, an African fintech firm that specializes in facilitating cross-border payments, recently closed a $100 million Series C funding round. Taking the lead in what is now Chipper Cash‘s third fundraising round in the past twelve months is the venture capital (VC) firm, SVB Capital....
De-Dollarization: Russia Removing All US Dollar Assets From Its $600 Billion National Wealth Fund
5.6.2021
Russia has reportedly announced that U.S. dollar assets will be removed from its National Wealth Fund as U.S. sanctions on Moscow intensify. The fund, which currently totals about $600.9 billion, forms part of Russia’s gold and currency reserves. Russia Steps up De-Dollarization Efforts...
Kalashnikov Eyes Digital Ruble Settlements as Russia Aims to Replace ‘Dirty Money’
5.6.2021
Kalashnikov Group, the Russian firearms manufacturer, is ready to transition to settlements in digital currency. The announcement came from the international economic forum in Saint Petersburg where the central bank of Russia reaffirmed its intention to replace “dirty”...
India’s Central Bank RBI Still Has ‘Major Concerns’ About Crypto After Saying Ban No Longer Valid
4.6.2021
The governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Shaktikanta Das, has clarified the central bank’s position regarding cryptocurrency. His statements followed a notice published by the RBI telling banks that its crypto banking restriction is no longer valid and cannot be cited. RBI Still...
Ghana gearing for central bank digital currency pilot
4.6.2021
Ghana is striving to become the first African nation to float a central bank digital currency
Indian central bank remains anti-crypto, affirming ‘no change’ in its stance
4.6.2021
The Reserve Bank of India's ban on banks' dealings with crypto may be defunct but the institution remains apprehensive of — if not outright hostile to — cryptocurrencies
Bank of Ghana ‘in the Advanced Stages of Introducing a Digital Currency’— Governor Repeats Anti-Cryptocurrency Claims
4.6.2021
The governor of Ghana’s central bank, Ernest Addison, has said his institution is now “in the advanced stages of introducing a digital currency.” However, before its release into circulation, the digital currency—which is also known as the “e-cedi”— will...