Mercury Bank Blocks Fintech Founders From Nigeria, Ukraine, and a Dozen More Countries

The U.S.-based fintech company, Mercury, will offboard startups whose founders reside in or whose businesses are headquartered in 14 African countries and six non-African states. Mercury CEO Immad Akhund stated that this decision impacts customers whose deposits constitute less than 1% of Mercury’s total deposits. Affected Customers’ Deposits Less Than 1% of Mercury’s Mercury Bank, … Read more

Congolese Fintech Startups, Government Form Association to Accelerate Financial Inclusion

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)-based fintech startups have partnered with the government to launch an association. The goal of the collaboration is to accelerate financial inclusion in the African country. By partnering with the government, the association will play a crucial role in shaping “policies that encourage investment, competition, and access to financial services.” Bolstering … Read more

Report: Zimbabwe Proceeding With Digital Currency Plans, Central Bank Undeterred By Slow Adoption of Nigerian CBDC

Undeterred by the reported slow adoption of the Nigerian central bank digital currency, the deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, Innocent Matshe recently said his institution will proceed with plans to launch its own digital currency. In addition to sending a team to learn from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s experiences, Zimbabwe has … Read more

Qatar Central Bank Studying Digital Banks and CBDCs

Qatar Central Bank is presently examining the possibility of issuing a digital currency as well as digital bank licensing, an official has said. The official adds this study will help the central bank get an understanding of what its area of focus should be. The Growing Significance of CBDC An official with the Qatar Central … Read more

Digital Euro Should Be Attractive But Not ‘Too Successful,’ ECB’s Panetta Says

The digital euro should be an attractive means of payment but its design should prevent it from becoming so successful as a store of value that it threatens banks and private money, according to Fabio Panetta, a high-ranking executive at the European Central Bank. Panetta stressed that both this paradox as well as the need … Read more

Up to 12 Million Iranians Own Cryptocurrency, Traders Choose Local Exchanges

Cryptocurrencies are a popular investment among Iranians and estimates suggest that the number of those who already own one coin or another may be as high as 12 million. The majority of Iranian traders prefer the services of local crypto exchanges, the chief executive of one of them claims. Iranians Said to Transfer $180 Million … Read more

Nigerian Judge Rules in Favor of Accused Crypto Startup, Accounts to Be Reopened

A Nigerian Federal Court judge recently ruled that the two frozen bank accounts belonging to Rise Vest Technologies, which is accused of trading cryptocurrencies, must be reopened. CBN’s Bank Account Freeze Order Dismissed In a ruling that overturns the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s August 17 decision to freeze the bank accounts, Judge Taiwo Taiwo … Read more

Africa Fintech Start-up Growth: Nigeria Dominates in ‘Big Three’ Markets

According to the findings of the latest study by Disrupt Africa, the number of fintech start-ups based on the African continent grew to 576 in 2021. This figure represents a 17.3% jump from the 491 start-ups that were operating on the continent in 2019. Overall, the number of fintech start-ups in Africa has increased around … Read more

Report: Fintech’s Growing Popularity a Threat to Profitability of Nigerian Banks

Financial technology companies (fintechs) are now among the biggest threats to the overall profitability of Nigerian banks, analysts from the country’s Coronation Merchant Bank (CMB) have warned. The Efficiency of Fintech As a report carried by local media explains, this threat from fintech services stems from their growing popularity with “tech-literate” customers. According to CMB … Read more

Bank of Tanzania Hints at Possible Crypto Ban Reversal as Spokesman Confirms Bank Is ‘Working on the Directives Given’

In a hint that Tanzania might soon reverse its 2019 crypto ban, an unnamed spokesperson of the Bank of Tanzania (BOT) recently suggested the apex bank is “working on the directives given.” The remarks by the spokesperson follow Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s call on the country’s finance chiefs to prepare for cryptocurrencies. BOT Move … Read more