Search
Ethiopian Premier Defends Currency Float Decision, Rejects Devaluation Claims
3.8.2024
The Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, has defended the decision to float the birr and insisted that this move does not amount to the devaluation of the currency. Ahmed stated that the intention is to unify the official and parallel market exchange rates. Reports suggest that Ethiopia’s decision...
Ghana Launches Centralized Online Foreign Exchange Trading Platform
2.8.2024
The Bank of Ghana has recently launched a centralized online foreign exchange trading platform. This platform aims to enhance secure and efficient operations in the foreign exchange market. As of August 1, 2024, all licensed Foreign Exchange Bureaux are mandated to use this platform for buying...
Ethiopia’s Birr Falls 30% After Currency Float; Forex Surrender Requirements Scrapped
29.7.2024
Ethiopia’s birr plunged 30% against the dollar after the central bank floated the currency as part of reforms aimed at correcting foreign exchange market distortions. The bank also eliminated foreign exchange surrender requirements and lifted restrictions on certain imports. In return...
Senator Warren Calls for Tougher Regulations to Combat National Security Risks From Foreign Crypto Mines
27.7.2024
Senator Elizabeth Warren has called for stricter regulations to address the risks of foreign-owned cryptocurrency mining facilities in the U.S. She highlighted the environmental and national security threats, especially from Chinese-owned operations, and stressed the importance of stronger laws...
Zimbabwe Injects $50M in Forex Market to Stabilize Currency
27.7.2024
Zimbabwe’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), has injected over US$50 million into the interbank foreign exchange market to stabilize the economy. This move comes as the parallel market exchange rate is significantly higher than the official rate, causing economic instability....
Foreign crypto miners could be spying on US bases: Elizabeth Warren
26.7.2024
Senator Warren has lambasted foreign-owned crypto miners in the country, saying they’re loud, hot, and “suck up a ton of electricity, which can crash the power grid.”
Giesecke+Devrient: Ghana CBDC Nullifies the Need for Multiple Intermediaries in Cross-Border Payments
25.7.2024
The recently completed proof of concept by the Bank of Ghana and the Monetary Authority of Singapore demonstrated that the latter’s central bank digital currency enables cross-border payments, excluding many intermediaries and associated costs. Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) stated that the proof...
Nigeria Acts to Defend Naira After Currency Hits New Record Low
21.7.2024
The Central Bank of Nigeria recently sold U.S. dollars to Bureaux de Change (BDC) at a flat rate of NGN1,450 per greenback. The central bank stated that eligible BDCs can sell the dollars to end-users at a margin of no more than 1.5% above the purchase exchange rate. The Nigerian apex bank...
2 Foreign Nationals Plead Guilty in Lockbit Ransomware Case
20.7.2024
Two foreign nationals pleaded guilty in Newark federal court regarding their participation in the Lockbit ransomware organization, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed on Thursday. Russian citizen Ruslan Magomedovich Astamirov and Mikhail Vasiliev, a dual citizen of Canada and Russia, were...
IMF Warns Zambia Against Dedollarization, Calls Plan Counterproductive
20.7.2024
An International Monetary Fund representative has cautioned that Zambia’s proposed dedollarization initiative may inadvertently undermine efforts to contain inflation. The representative expressed concern that the prevailing economic conditions in Zambia are not conducive for the country to proceed...
Tanzania Seeks to Shore up Local Currency With Directive Mandating Tourists to Use Shillings
17.7.2024
Tanzania’s Ministry of Tourism and Natural Resources has mandated that all fees in the tourism sector must be paid in local currency, aligning with a government directive for local transactions to use the country’s shillings. This requirement applies to Tourism Business Licence fees, filming...
Zambia to Outlaw Use of Foreign Currency, Criminals Could Face Jail Time for up to 10 Years
6.7.2024
The Bank of Zambia has proposed a new series of guidelines that seek to outlaw the use of foreign currency, including the U.S. dollar, for local transactions. If finally approved, the document would establish harsh penalties for infringement, including jail time for up to ten years and hefty fines....
Nigerian Central Bank Warns Financial Institutions Against Rejecting Old or Lower Denomination US Dollars
3.7.2024
The Central Bank of Nigeria warned local financial institutions against rejecting older or lower-denomination U.S. dollar banknotes. The apex bank said it will take strong action against financial institutions that refuse to accept mutilated or overcirculated local currency banknotes. Older U.S....
Nigeria’s Naira Rated Worst-Performing Currency in H1 of 2024; Kenyan Shilling Named Best Performer
30.6.2024
In the first half of 2024, the Nigerian currency depreciated by nearly 40%, making it the worst-performing currency during that period. Meanwhile, the Kenyan shilling appreciated by 20.7%, ranking it as the best performer. The depreciation of the Nigerian naira was primarily driven by U.S. dollar...
UAE regulations may ban crypto payments, warns lawyer
26.6.2024
UAE lawyer Irina Heaver told Cointelegraph that the policy shift could signal a “less favorable environment” for crypto in the UAE
Brazil’s tax dept to summon info from foreign crypto exchanges: Report
19.6.2024
The Federal Revenue of Brazil is publishing an ordinance this week to look for any potential “illegality” and info on what Brazilians may be owing in tax
Foreign crypto exchanges eye India for business opportunities
14.6.2024
Following the re-entry of Binance and Kucoin on Indian soil, four more foreign exchanges are viewing the country as a lucrative place to run their operations. They have put out feelers and making the right sounds. In the case of Binance and Kucoin, they received consent from the financial...
Euro’s Reserve Currency Status Threatened as Its Share of Foreign Reserves Holdings Drops
13.6.2024
A report from the European Central Bank indicated that the euro’s share of foreign exchange reserves declined by one percentage point to 20% in 2023. According to the report, the continued diversification of global reserve portfolios into nontraditional currencies threatens to further erode...
Ghana’s Cedi Hits Record Low Against US Dollar Amid Cocoa Output Decline
12.6.2024
The Ghanaian cedi recently plunged to a record low, trading at GHS 14.9335 against the U.S. dollar, which led to its designation as the fourth-worst-performing currency globally. Additionally, a decline in cocoa production has further complicated matters for the cedi, a currency previously ranked...
Indian Authority Busts Cryptocurrency Fraud Ring Targeting Foreign National
9.6.2024
India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) has cracked down on a cryptocurrency fraud ring targeting a foreign national. The accused persuaded the victim to transfer $400,000 to a cryptocurrency account set up using unauthorized remote access. The ED seized digital evidence, froze fixed deposits...