El Salvador’s Chivo Wallet Has Not Presented Any Financial Balances Since Its Creation

Chivo Wallet, the official Bitcoin wallet of the Salvadoran government, has been operating without presenting any of its financial balances to the National Registry Center (CNR). While Chivo is a private company managed by El Salvador’s government and is not legally required to disclose its activities, it has failed to file its balances annually as … Read more

Latam Insights: Venezuela to Leverage USDT for Sidestepping Sanctions, Chivo Wallet Disregards Hacking Allegations

Welcome to Latam Insights, a compendium of Latin America’s most relevant crypto and economic news during the last week. In this issue: Venezuelan oil company PDVSA could use USDT to sidestep U.S. sanctions, Chivo Wallet denies hacking allegations, and Nubank expands its crypto functionality in Brazil. Venezuela Might Use USDT for Sidestepping Sanctions Venezuela is … Read more

Salvadoran Official Crypto Wallet Chivo Dismisses Alleged Hacking Event

Chivo wallet, the official cryptocurrency wallet of El Salvador, has dismissed an alleged hack of the source code of its software and the data of over 5 million users linked to the wallet’s KYC procedures. According to Chivo, the data of Salvadorans is protected, and the security of its data has never been breached. Chivo … Read more

Pheu Thai Candidate Promises Digital Currency Airdrop of $300 to Every Citizen in Thailand if Elected

A Pheu Thai candidate running for prime minister of Thailand position, Srettha Thavisin, has promised that every citizen in the country will receive 10,000 Thai baht ($300) in digital currency if he wins the general election in May. However, a minister within the prime minister’s office in Thailand is concerned and has explained that the … Read more

Reports Claim Chivo Bitcoin Wallet Is Flagging Wasabi Transactions in El Salvador

According to several reports, the Salvadoran government-issued bitcoin wallet, Chivo, has been freezing wallets and requesting that owners verify the source of funds. The founder of El Zonte’s Bitcoin Beach stated that the government’s bitcoin wallet software is flagging and freezing wallets that receive transactions from Wasabi, a non-custodial bitcoin wallet that utilizes Coinjoin technology … Read more

El Salvador Chivo Wallet Programmer Opens Up About Alleged ID Fraud, Tech and Money Laundering Issues

A Chivo wallet programmer has opened up about the different problems that the flagship cryptocurrency wallet of El Salvador faced during its initial stages. Shaun Overton, who alleges he was hired to help in the handling of the issues, has talked about ID theft, money laundering problems, and the tech issues he observed while working … Read more

Salvadoran Group Files Lawsuits Against President Nayib Bukele on Lack of Transparency in Bitcoin Purchases

Cristosal, a Salvadoran nonprofit human rights organization, has filed three lawsuits related to President Nayib Bukele’s management of public funds to purchase bitcoin. The processes are being run before several national and international bodies, and call for the government to offer information on these purchases. President Nayib Bukele Sued by Salvadoran Nonprofit Cristosal On Nov. … Read more

Working Study Says Despite Legal Tender Status, Bitcoin Is Not a Widely Accepted Medium of Exchange in El Salvador

According to a working study published by the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), most Salvadorans stopped using the Chivo wallet after getting their $30 bitcoin bonus. The report shows that the median Chivo wallet user made no deposits or withdrawals in a given month. NBER Study: Only 4 out of 10 Salvadorans Use … Read more

El Salvador Switches Tech Providers — Chooses Alphapoint to Operate Chivo Bitcoin Wallet

On February 2, 2022, the blockchain infrastructure provider Alphapoint has announced that the Salvadoran government has chosen the firm to operate the bitcoin wallet Chivo. The bitcoin wallet is the largest fintech application in the country and Alphapoint “supports the frontend and backend infrastructure that powers the wallet and integrates the entire ecosystem.” Alphapoint to … Read more