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Nearly 500,000 Nigerian CBDC Wallets Downloaded Since Launch
17.11.2021
Nearly half a million e-naira wallets have been downloaded a few weeks after the central bank digital currency (CBDC) was officially launched by Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, the central bank has said. E-Naira’s Initial Trade Volumes In addition to the 488,000 wallets that have been...
‘Bitcoin Is Worth Zero’ — Kenyan Communication Strategist Warns African Investors to Be Wary
2.11.2021
A Kenyan communications strategist, Mwotia Ciugu, has told African investors to be wary of investing in bitcoin which he claims is worth zero. Bitcoin Structurally Incapable of Delivering on Its Promise In an op-ed published by The Elephant, Ciugu insists bitcoin (BTC) is structurally incapable...
IMF Partly Blames Uncertainty in Nigeria’s Forex Market for Drop in Remittances
26.10.2021
The uncertainty that prevails in Nigeria’s foreign exchange market is partly to blame for the plunge in cross-border remittances into the country, an official with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said. Covid-19 Another Contributing Factor According to a report by local news outlet...
Stellar partners tap USDC for remittances between Europe and Africa
26.10.2021
Flutterwave is teaming up Tempo Payments to use USDC on Stellar to target Africa’s enormous remittances market
Crypto remittances see adoption, but volatility may be a deal breaker
21.10.2021
The path to mass cryptocurrency adoption passes through remittances, but it may not happen any time soon
Facebook’s Novi Launches Pilot Program in Guatemala and US Using Pax Dollar
20.10.2021
Novi, Facebook’s digital wallet, will launch a pilot program to test the functionality of the service in two countries: Guatemala and the U.S. The test will allow Novi to test all of its main functions and to evaluate what things need to be improved before launch. Novi will use pax dollars...
5 Countries Will Accept Bitcoin as Legal Tender by End of Next Year, Says Bitmex CEO
11.10.2021
By the end of next year, at least five countries will have accepted bitcoin as legal tender, the CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Bitmex has predicted. He cited three key reasons why he arrived at this conclusion. “Developing countries will jump into crypto in 2022,” he said. More...
Nigeria Central Bank Governor Says CBDC Launch Just ‘a Couple of Days’ Away
10.10.2021
The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has confirmed the country’s upcoming digital currency will be launched “in a couple of days from now.” According to the governor, the digital currency which is also known as the e-naira will be the first of...
Moneygram Partners With Stellar Development Foundation to Allow Users to Make Remittances With USD Coin
8.10.2021
Moneygram, one of the leaders in the cross-border payments and remittances market, has partnered with the Stellar Development Foundation to use the Stellar blockchain for settlements. The company will use the native version of USD coin (USDC), a popular stablecoin, to simplify and accelerate...
Local Experts Say Zimbabwe Not Softening Its Stance on Cryptocurrency Just Yet
7.10.2021
Zimbabwean crypto and economic experts have suggested Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube’s positive comments about cryptocurrencies do not necessarily mean monetary authorities are about to remove restrictions that were imposed in 2018. The Case for Blockchain Instead, the experts claim...
Kenyan Fintech Player: ‘Banking the Unbanked’ Is the Most Important Use Case for Digital Currencies in Africa
28.9.2021
The year 2020 may well go down as the year when blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies, in particular, gained mainstream recognition. The restrictions on movement, as well as the widespread fear of catching a virus, forced many to look for alternative ways of making payments or sending...
Chipper Cash Extends Peer-to-Peer Money Transfer Service to South Africa
27.9.2021
Chipper Cash, an African fintech start-up, has extended its peer-to-peer instant money service to South Africa. In addition to being able to use the remittance service, South African users will be able to buy, sell, and transfer cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, ethereum, and the USDC stablecoin....
Fintech Firm Centbee Graduates From South African Regulatory Sandbox
24.9.2021
Fintech firm Centbee recently announced it has successfully completed the testing of its cross-border remittance application, Minit Money. The testing of the application was carried out within the framework of the South African Intergovernmental Fintech Working Group (IFWG)’s regulatory...
Remittances to Africa Set to Drop by 5.4 % to $41 Billion — Covid-19 Pandemic and High Sending Costs Blamed
21.9.2021
According to findings from the Continental Migration Report 2021, remittances to African countries are projected to decrease from the $44 billion recorded in 2020 to $41 billion. The Covid Effect As expected, the Covid-19 pandemic is identified as one of the main causes of the decline. However...
Africa Has Some of the ‘Highest Grassroots Adoptions in the World’ — Chainalysis Crypto Preview
16.9.2021
While Africa is seen as one of the smallest cryptocurrency markets, according to a preview of Chainalysis’ Geography of Cryptocurrency annual report, this region has “some of the highest grassroots adoptions in the world.” African Volumes Mainly Composed of Retail Transfers...
Nigeria’s CBDC ‘a Safer Option’ Than Privately Issued Cryptocurrencies: Central Bank Official
14.9.2021
As part of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s digital currency charm offensive, Folashodun Shonubi, the institution’s deputy governor, has claimed that the country’s upcoming central bank digital currency (CBDC) will be a “safer option from privately issued...
Zimbabwean Minister Says Cryptocurrency Based Solutions ‘Could Lower Charges for Diaspora Remittances’
12.9.2021
The Zimbabwean minister of finance, Mthuli Ncube, has once again talked up the potential advantages of using cryptocurrencies. In new comments made shortly after visiting the DMCC Crypto Centre in Dubai, Ncube raises the possibility that the country might use cryptocurrency-based solutions to lower...
Annual US Dollar Remittances to Nigeria Surge to $34 Billion but Forex Woes Persist
31.8.2021
According to a report, the value of annual dollar remittances by Nigerians working abroad has surged to $34 billion, a figure that easily surpasses the previous record-high of $25 billion. Still, a large portion of the funds doesn’t seem to be entering domestic forex markets. Target Attained...
Stellar blockchain remittance corridor to power Thailand-Europe payments
11.8.2021
The new cross-border remittance corridor will be hosted on the Stellar blockchain and serve around 600 million customers
Bank of America Sees Benefits in Adopting Bitcoin as Legal Tender in El Salvador
3.8.2021
Bank of America has outlined some benefits to be had from adopting bitcoin as legal tender in El Salvador. The opportunities include low-cost remittances, financial digitization, more choices, and greater investments from foreign companies. Bank of America Highlights Opportunities Bitcoin Brings...