Economist Steve Hanke Warns Salvadoran Bitcoin Adoption Could ‘Completely Collapse the Economy’

The professor of applied economics at Johns Hopkins University, Steve Hanke, has recently been criticizing bitcoin adoption taking place in El Salvador. Hanke doesn’t think it’s a good idea for the Latin American country to use bitcoin as legal tender and says it could “completely collapse the economy.” Steve Hanke Wants Countries to Adopt Currency … Read more

Nigerian Central Bank Threatens Jail Time for Citizens Caught Defacing Naira Banknotes

Fighting to stop the value of the naira from dropping further, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) faces yet another problem: abuse of naira banknotes. According to the CBN’s Aladeen Badajo, the central bank is concerned with the rate at which Nigerians “mutilate, deface, squeeze and even spray and sell the naira notes.” He adds … Read more

Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Says “Digital Currency Will Come to Life” but Attacks Volatile Cryptocurrencies

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, says digital currency “will come to life even in Nigeria” just a few months after the central bank ordered banks to stop serving the crypto industry. While acknowledging his country’s position as one of the leading crypto markets in the world, Emefiele however insists his organization is … Read more

Official Remittances to Nigeria Plummet by Almost 40% in a Year When Crypto Use Surged

According to the latest data from the World Bank, international money transfers into Nigeria dropped by nearly 40% from $23.8 billion recorded in 2019 to $17.2 billion in the past year. Yet despite this fall, remittances, which account for 4% of the country’s GDP, still remain an important source of foreign exchange for the oil-rich … Read more

Mastercard Payment Index: More Consumers in Three African Countries Plan to Use Crypto Based Payment Methods

According to a recent Mastercard payment index report, the Covid-19 related lockdowns helped spread the use of cryptocurrency in three African countries, namely Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa. The report also reveals that a greater number of consumers from these countries are “likely to use one emerging payment method in the coming year.” More Respondents … Read more

Nigeria Stopping the Rejection of Old or Torn USD Notes Underlines Why Crypto Is a Better Reserve Currency

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 of such notes by banks and other authorized … Read more