Uncertainty Surrounds Federal Reserve’s Future Plans for Rate Hikes

The U.S. Federal Reserve has raised the benchmark bank rate seven times during the course of 2022, leading many to question when the central bank will cease or change course. The Fed has stated that it aims to bring inflation down to the 2% target, and the increases to the federal funds rate are intended … Read more

Report: Nigerian Central Bank Spent Over $1.8 Billion Managing Local Currency

During her appearance before Nigerian lawmakers, Aisha Ahmad, the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), told lawmakers that out of the nearly $1.8 billion used to manage the local currency, over 90% of this total was reportedly used to fund expenses associated with the production of banknotes. The Growing Cost of Maintaining … Read more

IMF Blog: Better Regulation of Africa’s Growing Crypto Market Urgently Needed

A well-regulated African cryptocurrency market is needed in order to protect users as well as help countries stop bad actors from using digital assets to circumvent capital controls, the latest post on the IMF blog has said. The blog post reiterated the IMF’s belief that risks to a country are “much greater if crypto is … Read more

Japanese Yen Plunges to 32-Year Low Against US Dollar — Another Intervention by Authorities Expected

The Japanese yen’s exchange rate versus the U.S. dollar recently plunged to its lowest rate in 32 years — 147.66 JPY per dollar. The yen’s latest fall comes less than a month after its slip in September prompted authorities to enter foreign exchange markets for the first time since 1998. Gap Between US Treasuries and … Read more

Top US Regulators Urge Congress to Pass Legislation on Crypto Assets

The U.S. Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC), a group of the country’s top financial regulators, has urged Congress to pass legislation for the regulation of crypto assets. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said: “Crypto-asset activities could pose risks to U.S. financial stability if their interconnections with the traditional financial system or their overall scale were to … Read more

UAE Now Requires Agents to Report Real Estate Transactions Where Virtual Currency Is Used as Payment

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has said it now requires real estate agents, brokers, and law firms to report to the Financial Intelligence Unit real estate transactions in which virtual currency is used as payment. Similarly, real estate purchases or sales where “the funds used in the transaction are derived from a virtual asset” must … Read more

ECB Considers Capping Digital Euro in Circulation at 4,000 per Capita, Panetta Reveals

With concerns about financial stability in mind, the European Central Bank (ECB) plans to limit digital euro holdings, according to Board Member Fabio Panetta. The plan is to have a maximum amount of digital cash in circulation similar to that of euro banknotes today, the official unveiled. Eurozone’s Central Bank to Keep Total Digital Euro … Read more

Bank of England’s Cunliffe Warns Crypto Will See Tough Times as Federal Reserve Tightens Financial Conditions

Bank of England’s deputy governor for financial stability, Sir Jon Cunliffe, has warned of hard times ahead for cryptocurrency investors as the Federal Reserve and other central banks tighten monetary policy. Bank of England’s Executive Warns About Crypto Sir Jon Cunliffe, deputy governor for financial stability at the Bank of England (BOE), had a warning … Read more

Bank of Spain Governor Highlights Need for Fast Regulation in Defi and Crypto

Pablo Hernández de Cos, governor of the Bank of Spain and chair of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, explained that the cryptocurrency space and decentralized finance (defi) need to be regulated swiftly to avoid risks of financial instability. Hernandez de Cos also mentioned how this swift approach should bring the crypto financial system into … Read more

US Lawmakers Push for Urgent Stablecoin Regulation — Fed Warns of Stablecoin Runs, Janet Yellen Cites UST Fiasco

As U.S. lawmakers push for the urgent regulation of stablecoins, the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) and the Federal Reserve Board warn about the risks of stablecoin runs that threaten the country’s financial stability. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen brought up the terrausd (UST) fiasco as an example of why a comprehensive regulatory framework is urgently … Read more