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Prohibition of Cash Withdrawals From VASPs Operated Accounts May Contradict Central Bank’s Cashless Policy — Nigerian Lawyer
7.1.2024
Nigerian fintech lawyer Senator Ihenyen said the new central bank guidelines which bar the withdrawal of cash from accounts operated by virtual asset service providers (VASPs) seem “reasonable and understandable.” The lawyer however believes an “outright” prohibition of cash...
Central Bank of Nigeria Approves Africa Stablecoin Consortium to Pilot cNGN Stablecoin in Regulatory Sandbox
5.1.2024
Source: AdobeStock / Faraz The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has granted approval to the Africa Stablecoin Consortium (ASC) to launch the cNGN stablecoin in its regulatory sandbox. The stablecoin is set to be introduced on February 27, 2024, the Africa Stablecoin Consortium, a collaborative effort...
Bitcoin is a Liberating Force for an African Village Mining It
5.1.2024
Source: AdobeStock / Riccardo Niels Mayer A village in Malawi is full of “happy people” – thanks to Bitcoin mining. The village is called Bondo. Rather, it’s a cluster of villages in the foothills of Mount Mulanje, in a remote Malawi region near Mozambique’s border. It’s an impoverished...
Bitcoin ETF Mania and Nigeria’s New Stance on Crypto to Drive the Industry’s Revival in Africa — Experts
30.12.2023
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s expected approval of bitcoin exchange-traded funds and Nigeria’s lifting of a directive which excluded the crypto industry from the banking ecosystem are expected to help revive African users’ interest in crypto. The Bitcoin halving...
Crypto Exchange Yellow Card Financial Set to Apply for Nigerian License Following Cryptocurrency Ban Lift
25.12.2023
Image Source: Pexels Pan-African cryptocurrency exchange Yellow Card Financial has announced plans to apply for a license in Nigeria following the recent lifting of the country’s cryptocurrency ban. The ban, which was imposed in 2021, prohibited financial institutions from transacting...
Angolan National Assembly Approves Crypto Law to Safeguard ‘Monetary Sovereignty’
22.12.2023
The Angolan National Assembly recently approved legislation that seeks to address crypto mining’s impact on the environment as well as safeguarding the country’s “monetary sovereignty.” The objective of this legislation is to also curb illicit activities by preventing...
Report: Nigerian Currency Plunges to New Low Versus the US Dollar
22.12.2023
The official exchange rate of the Nigerian currency versus the U.S. dollar recently plunged to a record low of 1,248 naira for every greenback. The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria has told the country’s legislators that he sees the foreign exchange market stabilizing in 2024. Official...
Ghana’s Securities Regulator Creates Taskforce to Build Capacity for Crypto Asset Oversight
20.12.2023
The Ghanaian securities regulator has established a task force which is expected to help it boost its capacity to regulate crypto assets. Ghanaian residents have continued to trade and invest in cryptocurrencies and this has forced the regulator to think of ways to protect crypto users. Gaining...
Nigerian Crypto Exchange Describes Deposit Suspension as ‘Industry-Standard Precautionary Measure’
19.12.2023
The Nigerian cryptocurrency exchange platform Bitmama recently said it has temporarily suspended deposits due to “ongoing third-party maintenance.” Bitmama said that while earlier media reports about its suspension of deposits are correct, they nevertheless “lack context,”...
Finnovex North Africa 2024: Seizing the fintech boom: Innovations reshaping the financial landscape
19.12.2023
Date: March 5-6, 2024 Location: Cairo, Egypt Finnovex, the premier global platform dedicated to catalyzing discussions and insights within the financial technology sector, proudly announces the return of Finnovex North Africa 2024. Scheduled to take place on March 5-6, 2024, in Cairo, Egypt, this...
Report: Worldcoin Set to Resume Kenyan Operations in Early 2024
18.12.2023
Worldcoin, the iris biometric crypto project, has reportedly reached an agreement with Kenyan authorities which allows it to resume operations in the African country. Worldcoin representatives are said to be “working directly with regulators to meet Kenya’s requirements.” Worldcoin...
Lesotho’s Entire Payment System Reportedly Goes Offline After Cyberattack
16.12.2023
The Central Bank of Lesotho recently confirmed that its payment system was attacked by unknown cybercriminals. The bank also acknowledged that the resulting downtime is making it “impossible for all local banks to honor inter-bank transactions in the country.” No Financial Loss Suffered...
Nigerian Central Bank Warns Counterfeiters as Residents Reportedly Grapple With Cash Shortages
13.12.2023
As Nigeria grapples with cash shortages, the country’s central bank warned of the presence of counterfeit, higher-denomination naira banknotes. The bank has urged members of the public to report anyone suspected of falsifying or counterfeiting the banknotes. Central Bank Collaborates With...
Zimbabwean University Partners With Web3 Hub to Host Its First-Ever Blockchain Hackathon
13.12.2023
On Dec. 8 and 9, the University of Zimbabwe in partnership with the South Africa-based Mzansi Web3 Hub, held the learning institution’s inaugural blockchain hackathon. Taurayi Rupere, the chairman of the institution’s computer science department, said the hackathon’s goal is to produce...
Report: South African Financial Institutions Will Soon Offer Services Related to Cryptocurrencies
13.12.2023
About 73 applicants who are seeking a license to offer crypto products in South Africa are already registered as accountable institutions with the Financial Intelligence Centre, an executive at the crypto exchange Luno has said. According to the Luno executive, this may be an indication that...
Nigerian Fintech Flutterwave Secures Money Transfer Licenses in 13 US States
12.12.2023
The Nigerian fintech unicorn revealed on Dec.7 that it has obtained money transfer licenses in 13 U.S. states. Flutterwave’s partnership with a licensed financial institution also means that it can now serve customers in 29 states in the U.S. Flutterwave CEO suggested that the fintech hopes...
Jailed Mastermind of South African Bitcoin Scam Reportedly Getting Preferential Treatment in Brazilian Prison
12.12.2023
Johann Steynberg, the imprisoned CEO of Mirror Trading International, a South African Bitcoin scam entity, is allegedly receiving preferential treatment in a Brazilian prison. The General Directorate of Penitentiary Administration (DGAP) has confirmed receiving a complaint about Steynberg’s access...
Nigerian Web3 Startup Wicrypt Gets Grant From Microsoft to Develop Its Infrastructure Network
11.12.2023
Nigerian Web3 startup Wicrypt announced on Dec. 6 that it had received a $150,000 grant from Microsoft. The startup plans to use the grant to improve productivity around its decentralized physical infrastructure network development chain. In late November, Wicrypt also received a $200,000 grant...
Report: 47% of Nigerians Engaged in Crypto-Related Activities
10.12.2023
A new study has found that as much as 47% of Nigerians are actively engaged in crypto trading which is now increasingly incorporated in their financial lives. The analysis also showed that crypto ownership in the country grew by 15% between 2020 and 2023. Cryptocurrencies No Longer Seen...
The Bulk of Crypto Trading Volumes in Africa Are Generated by Institutional Traders — Farzam Ehsani
9.12.2023
Farzam Ehsani, the founder and CEO of the South African crypto exchange Valr, has stated that institutional traders account for the bulk of the African continent’s crypto trading volumes. To support this point, Ehsani referred to Valr’s largest volumes which he said “are...