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More Zimbabwean Artists Pivot to NFTs as Bubble Concerns Grow
2.9.2021
A Zimbabwean artist, Greatjoy Ndlovu, joined the growing list of African artists pivoting to the non-fungible tokens (NFT) market after his digital artwork was sold for 0.7 ethereum. The sale, which took place on the Async Art NFT marketplace, is Ndlovu’s first foray into the digital...
Crypto Payment Option Makes Services More Affordable: Zimbabwe Music Studio Director
29.7.2021
A Zimbabwean music production company, Mutscon Music, recently announced that its clients can now pay for services using cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum. According to the company, this decision has partly been necessitated by ongoing pandemic-related movement restrictions. Music Studio...
Mastercard Blockchain-Supported Livestock Tracking System Launches in Zimbabwe
24.6.2021
E-Livestock Global, a venture-funded social enterprise, recently launched a blockchain-based livestock traceability system for Zimbabwean cattle farmers. The Mastercard “Provenance solution”-powered system, claiming to be the first of its kind in Africa, aims to bring “end-to-end...
Zimbabwean Fintech Lawyer and Proponent Pushes for Crypto Regulation via Private Legislative Bill
28.5.2021
A Zimbabwean fintech lawyer, Prosper Mwedzi, recently initiated a process that seeks to bring recognition and regulation of cryptocurrencies. Under this private member bill procedure, a legislative proposition initiated by private citizens will be debated in the Zimbabwean parliament. If the crypto...
Zimbabwe’s Biggest Bank Looks at Methods to ‘Leverage Cryptocurrencies’
26.5.2021
One of Zimbabwe’s biggest financial institutions, CBZ Holdings says it is looking at ways it could “leverage cryptocurrencies and other emerging digital innovations.” According to the financial institution’s chairperson, Marc Holtzman, CBZ “is open-minded about...
Report: South African Taxes and Smuggling Behind Gold’s Price Distortions in Zimbabwe
18.5.2021
Despite gold’s longstanding status as an alternative store of value, the commodity continues to experience unusual price variations in countries like South Africa and Zimbabwe. In turn, such price variances, as well as the rampant smuggling of the commodity, are distorting the precious...
Official Remittance Inflows to Zimbabwe Surged to $1 Billion After Covid-19 Restrictions Forced Migrants to Use Formal Channels
13.5.2021
Cross border remittances into Zimbabwe surged to $1 billion in 2020, more than a 36% increase from the $636m that was recorded in 2019. This surge in remittances occurred despite the “steep decline in economic activity in host countries, which in turn made it difficult for migrants in...
Nigeria Stopping the Rejection of Old or Torn USD Notes Underlines Why Crypto Is a Better Reserve Currency
3.5.2021
In early April 2021, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) issued a circular warning Nigerian institutions to stop the practice of rejecting old or lower denomination USD notes. The CBN issued the warning after it became “inundated with complaints from members of the public on the rejection...
How African Users Can Buy and Trade Bitcoin Cash Without Facing KYC or Geoblocking Hurdles
13.4.2021
Africa remains the home to a large proportion of the world’s population that is unbanked according to a 2017 World Bank Global Index survey. Many of those who are unbanked cite their lack of official identification particulars as one of the main reasons for their predicament. Cryptos...
1.2 Billion People Live Under Double-Digit Inflation, ‘Many Have Found Escape in Bitcoin’ Says HRF’s Alex Gladstein
9.3.2021
While central banks are focusing on creating more stimulus and economists expect inflation in the U.S. to rise, a number of other countries are suffering from considerable inflation right now. On Monday, the chief strategy officer for the Human Rights Foundation, Alex Gladstein, explained that...
Can blockchain make a difference? Africa sees vast monetary potential
15.11.2020
As access to crypto spreads across Africa, blockchain could be crucial in improving cross-border payments and settlement systems
Venezuela’s Bitcoin Story Puts It in a Category of One
11.11.2020
Venezuela’s peer-to-peer bitcoin activity has been extraordinary, whether measured as an absolute or relative to GDP, according to CoinDesk Research data
Exploring the landscape of crypto regulations in sub-Saharan Africa
19.10.2020
Despite facing hot-and-cold rules, growing crypto usage in sub-Saharan Africa is forcing regulators to reconsider the industry
Zimbabwe’s Stock Exchange Open to Crypto Listing Subject to ‘Regulatory Approval’
3.10.2020
Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE) CEO Justin Bgoni says its recently licensed subsidiary, the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange is open to listing bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. However, according to local media reports, any such listings are still dependent on the digital asset issuers getting...
Mark Cuban Wants an Expiration Date on Stimulus Checks: Critics Says Proposal Is Right out of a Banana Republic Playbook
28.9.2020
U.S. billionaire Mark Cuban wants the next stimulus check to come with an expiration date in order to force Americans to spend the funds. The businessman believes this “use it or lose it” approach would benefit the U.S. economy as it promotes spending instead of saving. Cuban argues...
Fiat Devaluation Drives Retail Bitcoin Transfers in Africa 56% in a Year: Report
10.9.2020
Monthly cryptocurrency transfers to and from Africa under $10,000 soared more than 56% from a year ago to reach $316 million in June, according to new research by U.S. crypto analytics firm Chainalysis. Altogether, $8 billion worth of crypto was received into the continent and $8.1 billion sent...
Zimbabwe’s Mobile Money on Life Support as Central Bank Tightens Screws: Restrictions to Affect P2P Bitcoin Trading
28.8.2020
Zimbabwe’s Mobile Money Operators (MMO) say they will comply with the latest directive by the central bank to shutdown mobile money agents. In addition, the MMOs will also limit mobile money transactions to $50 (Zwl $5,000) per day while users are now restricted to one mobile money account...
Zimbabwe’s Battle To Control Currency Inadvertently Boosts Bitcoin Profile
12.7.2020
Zimbabwe’s deteriorating economic situation is forcing authorities to sign off on some desperate and controversial decisions. Some of such decisions include the abrupt suspension mobile money as well as the recent designation of Zimswitch as a national payment switch. Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe...
Zimbabwe Halts Mobile Transactions as Hyperinflation Spurs Currency Flight
30.6.2020
Zimbabwe's central bank, seeking to block attempts to avoid the country’s hyperinflation, halted all transactions conducted by "mobile money agents" this week
Bitcoin News Roundup for June 30, 2020
30.6.2020
As Zimbabwe embarks on its fifth bout of hyperinflation in modern history, CoinDesk's Markets Daily is back with another bitcoin news roundup