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‘Financial Inclusion’ — A Buzzword for Central Banks Who Secretly Despise Economic Freedom
27.11.2021
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has released its latest report on “digital currency governance” this month, addressing stablecoins, cryptocurrencies, and “barriers to financial inclusion.” Like most central banks, regulators, think tanks, and politicians, the...
IMF Says Nigerian CBDC Drawing Global Interest, Warns of Associated Risks
18.11.2021
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has acknowledged that the recently launched Nigerian central bank digital currency (CBDC) is attracting interest from many institutions globally, including central banks. Still, the fund warns that the CBDC carries risks for monetary policy implementation...
Sovryn to Enable Greater Financial Inclusion with Bitcoin-Backed Stablecoins
17.11.2021
The team at Sovryn, a Bitcoin native app for decentralized lending, notes that we’re currently in the middle of an unprecedented transition from a global economy relying on fiat and dominated by the USD to an economy based on BTC transactions. This gradual transition, from the legacy system to...
South African Fintech Raises $120 Million in Funding Round Led by Fidelity
14.11.2021
A South Africa and London-based fintech startup, JUMO, recently revealed it has raised $120 million in a funding round led by Fidelity Management & Research Company. AI-Powered Financial Services According to a report by Techcrunch, financial services giant Visa and Kingsway Capital also...
Finnovex West Africa: A Timely Discourse on Leveraging Technologies for Accelerated Financial Inclusion
8.11.2021
Backbase, SmartStream, Apollo Fintech, Network International L.L.C, Quipu, Suretree, InPay, and NeoSoft Technologies were all well–represented at the 2nd Annual Edition of the Leading Summit on Financial Services Innovation and Excellence within the West African Region, to spearhead...
Nigerian Experts Insist Africa’s First CBDC Is Presently Not for the Unbanked
6.11.2021
While the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) continues to tout the e-naira’s credentials as a tool for fostering financial inclusion, some experts agree that this central bank digital currency (CBDC) is presently not doing this. The CBDC’s Chaotic Start This assertion as well as...
CBDC Could Increase Nigeria’s GDP by $29 Billion in 10 Years: President Buhari
28.10.2021
The Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari, suggested in a recent speech that the new e-naira central bank digital currency (CBDC) could lead to an increase in the value of his country’s GDP by $29 billion in ten years. Africa’s First CBDC President Buhari made bold remarks in...
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...
Egyptian Banks Set to Launch Multi-Million Dollar Fintech Fund
1.10.2021
Egyptian banks are reportedly on course to launch a $69.6 million fund which is earmarked to support the country’s fintech companies. According to a report, this fund is expected primarily to target the digital banking and financial services sector. Fintech Apps Targeted Fintech apps that...
Nigerian CBDC Website Goes Live, Central Bank Faces Trademark Infringement Allegations
29.9.2021
According to reports from Nigeria, the official website for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s e-naira digital currency is now up and running. The reports come just a few days before the start of the central bank digital currency (CBDC) rollout. E-Naira Similar to Physical Currency...
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....
US Senator Warren Presses SEC to Address Crypto Exchange Outages, High Transaction Fees, Financial Inclusion
16.9.2021
At the U.S. Senate Banking Committee hearing Tuesday, Senator Elizabeth Warren called on the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Gary Gensler, to increase oversight of cryptocurrency. She brought up several problems she associates with cryptocurrency that could hurt small...
Central Bank of Nigeria Selects Barbados-Based Fintech Firm as Technical Partner for CBDC Project
1.9.2021
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has named the fintech firm Bitt Inc. as a technical partner for its digital currency project, the e-naira. As a technical partner, Bitt is expected to use its “technological competence and implementation experience” to help the CBN successfully launch...
Stablecoin adoption and the future of financial inclusion
19.8.2021
With the proper regulation, stablecoins could potentially fulfill their promise and enable more funds to reach those in greatest need
Bank of Ghana Selects German Technology Firm as Partner for CBDC Project
13.8.2021
The Bank of Ghana (BOG) says it has signed an agreement with Giesecke Devrient (GD) to implement a pilot central bank digital currency (CBDC) project. This pilot CBDC, which is a precursor to the e-cedi digital currency, is set to be tested with banks, payment service providers, merchants...
Two Blockchain-Based Digital Identity Projects Are Being Developed in Argentina
4.8.2021
Two blockchain-based digital identity projects are being developed in different regions of Argentina, with different objectives. One of them is directed to improve government-citizen relationships, facilitating these interactions in Misiones. The other one seeks to improve financial inclusion...
Ghana Vice President Praises Central Bank’s CBDC Initiative, Says Digital Currencies Can Boost Intra-African Trade
30.7.2021
The Ghanaian Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia, has implored African governments to start exploring digital currencies as such alternatives have the potential to enhance intra-African trade. In addition, such digital currencies allow African countries to carry out all cross-border payments smoothly...
Rwanda Central Bank Joins CBDC Bandwagon After Announcing Digital Currency Research
23.6.2021
The National Bank of Rwanda (NBR) has become the latest African central bank to join the digital currency movement after an employee confirmed the institution is studying the possibilities of issuing its own digital currency. CBDC Implications on Financial Stability According to the employee, John...
New Bank of America Report Says Digital Currencies ‘Could Boost Economic Growth’ in Developing Countries
23.6.2021
A new Bank of America (BOA) research study has found that both central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and private digital currencies hold “a lot of potential” for increasing financial inclusion in developing countries. In the report, the bank also argues that such “digital...
Bank of Uganda Launches Regulatory Sandbox Framework — One Fintech Firm Already Approved
20.6.2021
The Bank of Uganda (BOU) has announced the launch of a regulatory sandbox that will allow fintech start-ups to test their innovative financial solutions in a controlled environment. Already, one firm, M/S Wave Transfer Limited, has received approval to test its quick response (QR) technology under...