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Zambia Testing Technology to Regulate Cryptocurrency — Government Minister
19.2.2023
The Bank of Zambia and the country’s securities regulators are currently testing the technology to regulate cryptocurrencies, a Zambian government minister has said. According to Felix Mutati, cryptocurrency is a revolutionary technology that embodies a future his country desires to achieve....
Ghanaian and Nigerian Central Bank Open Respective Regulatory Sandbox Application Processes
29.1.2023
The Ghanaian and Nigerian central banks have invited financial innovators that wish to be included in their respective regulatory sandboxes to submit applications. The Bank of Ghana said its sandbox will also support innovations that attempt to solve the financial exclusion challenge. Solving...
Nigerian Banks Still Distributing Old Naira Banknotes as Demonetization Date Approaches
24.1.2023
With just a few days left before old Nigerian naira banknotes are removed from circulation, some banks have accused the Central Bank of Nigeria of failing to distribute enough new banknotes. Despite growing pressure for it to extend the period for returning the old notes, the central bank insists...
New Naira Banknotes to Make Monetary Policy More Effective — Nigerian Central Bank Governor
27.11.2022
The Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Godwin Emefiele, has said the newly designed naira banknotes are set to enhance the effectiveness of the organization’s monetary policy and bolster the financial inclusion cause. Forcing Currency Hoarders to Return to the Banking System According to...
Nigeria’s Rising Inflation and Foreign Exchange Shortages Fueling Devaluation Speculation — IMF Mission
20.11.2022
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s mission concluding statement, Nigeria’s rising inflation rate as well as the continuing shortage of foreign currency are fueling the naira devaluation speculations. To achieve a unified naira exchange rate, the global lender said...
Ripple Partners With Africa-Focused Remittances and Payments Firm MSF Africa
18.11.2022
Ripple, the United States-based tech firm, has said its crypto solution known as “on-demand liquidity” is set to help MSF Africa “streamline real-time mobile payments for customers in 35 countries.” The evolution of Ripple’s partnership with MSF Africa, which has...
Egyptian Fintech Raises $31 Million in Series B Funding Round
10.11.2022
Moneyfellows, an Egyptian fintech startup specializing in digitizing money circles, recently announced the close of its Series B funding round that raised $31 million. The funds will be used to finance Moneyfellows’ expansion into other markets as well as accelerate the fintech’s...
Abu Dhabi Fintech Startup Raises $20 Million in Series B Funding Round
9.11.2022
Abu Dhabi-based fintech, Pyypl, announced on Nov. 7 that it had raised $20 million in Series B funding and this brought the total of funds raised to nearly $40 million. Pyypl has said it plans to use the recently raised funds to develop and add new features to its proprietary technology....
South Africa Retailer Pick n Pay Now Accepts Payment in Bitcoin at 39 Outlets
3.11.2022
Pick n Pay, the South African retailer, has revealed that some of its grocery stores are now accepting bitcoin payments. To ensure payments are affordable, Pick n Pay reportedly uses the Bitcoin Lightning Network which is said to be suitable for “high volume, low-value transactions.”...
Chinese Central Bank Governor: User Privacy and Financial Security Key Principles Guiding CBDC Design Process
2.11.2022
According to Yi Gang, governor of China’s central bank, the process of designing the country’s digital currency is premised on two principles, the protection of user privacy as well as ensuring “financial security.” To achieve this, the central bank’s role will...
Mastercard Study: African Fintech Sector Had One of the Highest Year-on-Year Growth Rates in Funding in 2021
1.11.2022
In 2021, African fintech startups accounted for 61% of the $2.7 billion in venture capital funding that was deployed on the continent, a new study has found. While its share of global fintech funding is just over one percent, the continent’s fintech sector still recorded one of the highest...
Nigeria Can Become World Leader in the Digital Economy Says Vice President Yemi Osinbajo
14.10.2022
According to Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, his country is well-positioned to become a global leader in the digital economy. However, for that to happen, Nigeria must choose the right approach and spend more time developing digital skills. Nigeria Better Equipped Than 3 Decades Ago...
White House Releases ‘First-Ever’ Framework for Digital Asset Development — Crypto Industry Leader Says Recommendations Are Unclear
17.9.2022
The White House has now released what it called its “first-ever” comprehensive framework for the responsible development of digital assets just over six months after U.S. President Joe Biden signed an executive order on the same matter. However, one crypto industry leader has lamented...
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...
Binance CEO Meets Senegalese and Ivory Coast Presidents, Says ‘Africa Is Primed for Crypto Adoption’
8.7.2022
Changpeng Zhao, the CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Binance, tweeted that he recently held meetings with the presidents of Senegal and Ivory Coast. The meetings are part of his initiative which is aimed at driving up the adoption of cryptocurrency in Africa and beyond. CZ’s Meeting With...
Senator Indira Kempis Proposes Bill to Make Bitcoin Legal Tender in Mexico
2.7.2022
Indira Kempis, senator of the Mexican Congress, has proposed a bill that would make bitcoin legal tender in the country. The bill bases its action on the hardships that Mexican citizens are facing went trying to access financial products and education. However, the Central Bank of Mexico has been...
Human Rights Advocates Insist Bitcoin ‘Provides Financial Inclusion’ — Refutes Claims in Critics’ Letter to US Congress
13.6.2022
Human rights defenders from 20 countries have insisted that bitcoin “provides financial inclusion and empowerment because it is open and permissionless.” Together with stablecoins, the cryptocurrency offers “unparalleled access to the global economy” for people from...
Moneygram Launches USDC Crypto-to-Cash Program in Certain Markets
12.6.2022
Moneygram, a remittance and payments company based in the U.S., has announced the integration of USDC, a dollar-pegged stablecoin, as a settlement asset for its cash to crypto and crypto to cash program. The company will first allow users to exchange USDC for cash and vice versa in certain markets...
Digital Peso to Be Launched in Three Years According to Governor of Banxico
23.4.2022
Banxico, the Central Bank of Mexico, has announced it expects the development of its central bank digital currency (CBDC), the digital peso, to be completed in about three years. Victoria Rodríguez Ceja, the governor of Banxico, reported this before the Mexican Senate and added that the...
Three African Countries Plan to Adopt Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Solutions
16.4.2022
Three African countries — namely Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the Republic of Congo — are reportedly planning to adopt cryptocurrency and blockchain solutions powered by The Open Network (TON). Separately, Cameroon is considering issuing a national stablecoin...