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13 Years Ago Today, Satoshi Nakamoto Published the First Forum Post Introducing Bitcoin
11.2.2022
13 years ago today, the creator of the Bitcoin network, Satoshi Nakamoto published the inventor’s first forum post on the P2P Foundation website. The forum post called “Bitcoin open source implementation of P2P currency” introduced the e-cash system to the members of...
New Payment System Seeking to Bolster Intra-African Trade Goes Live
22.1.2022
A new continent-wide payment system that seeks to strengthen African fiat currencies, as well as to boost intra-Africa trade, recently went live. Discussions about onboarding more African countries are still ongoing. SMEs the Main Beneficiaries of the Payment System A new African payment system...
Global Markets, Bitcoin Defy Expectations After Fed’s Hawkish Taper Plan Announcement
16.12.2021
Global markets have defied predictions as the U.S. Federal Reserve and several central banks worldwide are prepping to slow down monetary easing policy. On Wednesday, the U.S. central bank’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) said it plans to taper quantitative easing (large monthly asset...
90% of Bitcoin’s Supply Cap Has Been Issued, Miners Have 119 Years Left to Mine BTC
13.12.2021
On December 12, crypto advocates celebrated the fact that 90% of the 21 million bitcoins that will ever exist have been mined into circulation. Currently, Bitcoin’s inflation rate per annum is around 1.88%, which is lower than the central banks’ traditional 2% target reference....
Central Banks of France, Switzerland and BIS Complete Cross-Border CBDC Trial
9.12.2021
Bank of France, the Swiss National Bank (SNB), and the Bank for International Settlements have successfully tested the application of wholesale central bank digital currency in cross-border payments. The project used distributed ledger technology and was realized with help from private firms....
Experts Believe a Common African Cryptocurrency Can Boost Trade and Sustain Growth After Covid-19
9.12.2021
Some economic experts from Africa have suggested that the continent now needs a common cryptocurrency and an integrated capital market to boost trade and sustain growth. The Importance of a Common Crypto Experts on the African economy have argued that a common cryptocurrency along with...
ECB Paper Marks Success Factors for CBDCs, Digital Euro
4.12.2021
A paper published by the European Central Bank (ECB) discusses various conditions for successful implementation of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) such as the eurozone’s own digital euro. The authors also point to different risks that such projects entail, like the danger of crowding...
Zanzibar Government Keen to Get Stakeholders’ View on Cryptocurrencies
15.11.2021
Zanzibar is keen on getting stakeholders’ views on the viability of adopting digital currencies before a final decision is made, a government minister has said. The Importance of Getting the Views of Stakeholders In his remarks during an interview with The Citizen, Mudrick Soraga, who is...
Nigerian Judge Rules in Favor of Accused Crypto Startup, Accounts to Be Reopened
27.10.2021
A Nigerian Federal Court judge recently ruled that the two frozen bank accounts belonging to Rise Vest Technologies, which is accused of trading cryptocurrencies, must be reopened. CBN’s Bank Account Freeze Order Dismissed In a ruling that overturns the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s...
Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele Taunts Economist Steve Hanke After Bitcoin’s Price Skyrockets
17.10.2021
On October 15, the day bitcoin’s price surpassed the $60K per unit handle, Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele taunted the professor of applied economics at Johns Hopkins University, Steve Hanke, over his recent statements. At the time, the well known economist warned that El Salvador faces...
G7 Finance Ministers and Bankers Adopt Guidelines for Central Bank Digital Currencies
15.10.2021
Any digital currency issued by a central bank must support financial and monetary stability, finance leaders from G7 member states have insisted. State-issued coins should also ensure privacy, transparency, and data protection, the officials stated. The forum adopted 13 public policy principles...
G7 leaders issue central bank digital currency guidelines
14.10.2021
Financial leaders from the G7 agree that CBDCs would complement cash and should not be detrimental to the monetary system
Reserve Bank of New Zealand Seeks Public Opinion on Central Bank Digital Currency
1.10.2021
The central bank of New Zealand has lined up among monetary authorities exploring the question of issuing their own digital currencies. The financial regulator is now seeking feedback from the public about the need for a digital form of the national fiat while also promising to preserve cash....
‘Faster and Cheaper Cross-Border Transfers’ — Banking Report Led by BIS Highlights the Benefits of Cryptocurrency
30.9.2021
According to a report published by the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) and a group of central banks, digital currencies can lead to faster settlement and cheaper transfers. Moreover, the banking group leveraged a prototype that shows how money transfers can be done in seconds with very...
African Economist Says Regulated Cryptocurrencies Are Reasonable Alternative to Single Trade Currency
6.9.2021
A Nigeria-based research and development economist, Gospel Obele, has called “for a unified regulatory mechanism for cryptocurrency trading.” He adds that such regulation of cryptocurrencies can potentially “complement an African digital currency,” hence this needs to...
Mastercard Outlines Plans for Cryptocurrencies, Stablecoins, Central Bank Digital Currencies
2.8.2021
Mastercard’s CEO has outlined the company’s plans to develop products and services around cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). “We want to be playing a role across all of them … It’s obviously a vibrant space around digital...
Digital Euro Project Gets Going as ECB Launches Investigation Phase
15.7.2021
After months of deliberation, the European Central Bank has decided to proceed with a digital euro project. Officials insist the new version of Europe’s common currency should “ensure privacy” and provide access to “the safest form of money” at...
11% of Central Bankers Consider ‘Cryptocurrencies Like Bitcoin’ Gold Alternatives: UBS Survey
9.7.2021
A UBS survey finds that central bankers see benefits in investing in cryptocurrencies like bitcoin. 28% see benefits from cryptocurrency being an uncorrelated asset and “11% would consider it as an alternative to gold.” Central Bankers See Benefits in Investing in Cryptocurrencies Like...
Gold Spikes Higher as Fed’s Minutes Report Looms, Central Bank Bullion Purchases Begin to Swell
6.7.2021
After a long break, monthly purchasing data shows that central banks are buying gold again. The World Gold Council says throughout March and April, the organization recorded a higher level of central bank monthly gold purchases and the latest data from May shows the exact same trend. Gold Rises...
Palestinians Ponder Digital Currency as Move for Monetary Independence
26.6.2021
The Palestine Monetary Authority is exploring the possibility of issuing its own digital currency. For Palestinians, the minting of a national coin would represent a step, at least a symbolic one, towards achieving monetary independence from the State of Israel. Digital Currency to Help...