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Forex Shortages Blamed After Nigerian Currency Hits New Low Versus the US Dollar
3.10.2022
A surge in the demand for foreign exchange and the general scarcity of the resource may be the reasons why the naira currency recently slumped to a new all-time low of 735 versus the U.S. dollar, a report has said. One Nigerian currency dealer said he expects the naira to further depreciate to...
Kenyan Central Bank Raises Key Rate by 75 Basis Points
2.10.2022
The monetary policy committee of the Kenyan central bank recently revealed it increased the central bank rate by 75 basis points from 7.5% to 8.25%. Justifying its decision to act, the committee cites growing inflationary pressures and increased global risks, as well as their likely impact on...
Nigerian Central Bank Hikes Key Interest Rate Just Days After Naira Plunges to New Low
28.9.2022
Following the latest meeting of the monetary policy committee, the Central Bank of Nigeria says it has hiked the monetary policy rate to 15.5%. By increasing the key interest rate by 150 basis points, the central bank hopes to “narrow the negative real interest rate gap and rein...
Report: Gap Between Ethiopian Currency’s Official and Parallel Market Exchange Rate Grows to New Record
25.9.2022
The Ethiopian birr currency’s parallel exchange rate against the U.S. dollar recently dropped to a low of 92 birrs per dollar, a report has said. The report added that following this latest plunge, the gap between the birr’s official and parallel market exchange rates has widened to...
Central Bank of China Calls for Increasing Use of Digital Yuan
12.9.2022
The People’s Bank of China has urged for widening of the array of use-case scenarios for its central bank digital currency. The monetary authority believes that deeper interconnection with traditional e-payment platforms will make the digital yuan more convenient for consumers....
Nigerian Presidential Candidate Says Fixed Exchange Rate Regime ‘Has to End’ — Touts Success of Fintech Unicorn Flutterwave
6.9.2022
A Nigerian presidential election candidate, Peter Obi, has said the local currency’s exchange rate against the dollar must not be fixed but must be determined “by the forces of demand and supply.” Pointing to the success of the Nigerian fintech Flutterwave, the candidate said...
Powell Says Fed’s Battle With Inflation Will Bring ‘Some Pain,’ After Insisting Last Year Elevated Inflation Is ‘Likely to Prove Temporary’
27.8.2022
On Friday, Jerome Powell spoke at the annual Jackson Hole Economic Symposium and the Federal Reserve chair explained that the U.S. central bank is focused on fighting the country’s red-hot inflation. Powell stressed at the event that strict monetary policy is necessary, and his commentary...
Market Wrap: Bitcoin Slumps to Lowest Level in Over a Month After Powell Affirms Hawkish Monetary Policy
26.8.2022
The first cryptocurrency dipped 4.3% to around $20,549, its lowest point since July 16, after the head of the U.S. central bank said the Fed would maintain its restrictive monetary course. This article originally appeared in Market Wrap, CoinDesk’s daily newsletter diving into what happened...
Report: East African Single Currency Unlikely to Be Introduced by 2024
25.8.2022
There are growing doubts about the regional economic bloc known as the East African Community’s ability to successfully launch a single currency by 2024, a report has said. One of the reasons for this is member states’ delays in meeting targets as set out in the roadmap. Attainment...
Nigerian BTC Peer-to-Peer Volumes Nearly $400M in H1 of 2022 — Significant Growth in Kenya and Ghana Volumes
25.8.2022
Nigeria’s peer-to-peer bitcoin traded volumes of over $1.1 billion between January 2021 and June 2022 mean the West African nation is now Paxful’s largest market. Kenya, which saw traded volumes of over $325 million during the same period, now ranks as the crypto exchange’s...
Colombia Plans to Launch Digital Currency to Reduce Tax Evasion
17.8.2022
The government of Colombia revealed it has plans to launch a digital currency. One of the purposes of this new currency would be to curb tax evasion and enhance the traceability of transactions made by citizens. The proposed measure would also be accompanied by restrictions on cash payments...
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe ‘Developed a Roadmap for Adoption of CBDC,’ Says Governor
14.8.2022
The governor of the Zimbabwean central bank, John Mangudya, recently said his organization “has developed a roadmap for adoption of CBDC [central bank digital currency] in Zimbabwe.” Mangudya also revealed that two fintech startups had been admitted into the central bank’s...
Bank of Russia Aims for Full Launch of Digital Ruble in 2024
14.8.2022
The Central Bank of Russia plans to begin the comprehensive implementation of the digital ruble two years from now, according to a paper detailing its monetary policy priorities for the 2023 – 2025 period. As the development of the state-issued digital currency continues, the monetary...
Bitcoin’s Mathematical Monetary Policy Is Far More Predictable Than Gold and Fiat Currencies
12.8.2022
This past April, records show that 19 million bitcoins have been mined into existence and 133 days later, there are 1.88 million bitcoins left to mint today. The network’s block subsidy halving is expected to occur on or around April 20, 2024, as there are less than 91,000 bitcoins left...
The Fed Is ‘Resolute’ on Hiking Interest Rates, Tightening Monetary Policy to Tame Inflation — Gold and Stocks Sink
3.8.2022
Several reports detail that U.S. Federal Reserve officials are resolute on tightening monetary policy and increasing the federal funds rate until inflation in America is alleviated. Chicago Fed president Charles Evans explained on Tuesday that the central bank would likely keep up the larger than...
Economists Say Fed Could Shrink Balance Sheet in 2023, Critics Insist Central Bank Hasn’t Reduced QE at All
26.7.2022
With inflation soaring in the U.S., economists from monetary policy analytics and forecasting firm LH Meyer say the U.S. Federal Reserve could stop shrinking its balance sheet earlier than expected. However, critics have said the U.S. central bank hasn’t really shrunk the Fed’s...
Nigerian Lenders Frustrating CBDC’s Adoption — Central Bank Governor
21.7.2022
Apathetic Nigerian lenders are frustrating the e-naira’s adoption because they are worried this could deprive them of a key revenue source, Godwin Emefiele, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, has said. Emefiele said the central bank is working on a channel that would enable...
Nigerian Central Bank Governor Says Fintechs and Cryptos Change the Way Financial Systems Function
19.7.2022
The Nigerian central bank governor and bitcoin critic, Godwin Emefiele, recently remarked that the rise of fintechs and cryptocurrencies among other technologies have forced banks and financial institutions to change the way they operate. According to Emefiele, this requires the central...
Zimbabwe to Hike Benchmark Rate to 200%, Central Bank Minted Gold Coins to Act as Store of Value
28.6.2022
After seeing the country’s inflation rise to 191.6% in June, Zimbabwean monetary authorities said they have resolved to increase the benchmark interest rate to 200% per annum. In addition, the central bank said it will introduce gold coins which will act as an instrument that will...
Fed Chair Powell: We’re Not Seeing Significant Macroeconomic Implications From Crypto Sell-Off
24.6.2022
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell says the central bank is “not really seeing significant macroeconomic implications” from crypto’s volatility. The Fed chair stressed that there is a need for a better crypto regulatory framework. Fed Chair Powell Says Crypto Needs Better...