Nigeria Unveils Amnesty Program to Recover Illegally Held Dollars Amid Forex Crisis

The Nigerian government has announced a nine-month program allowing individuals to deposit U.S. dollars held outside the formal banking system without facing penalties or scrutiny. Finance Minister Wale Edun said his ministry will first issue guidelines for the program, followed promptly by additional guidelines from the Central Bank of Nigeria. Participating individuals will need to … Read more

JPMorgan’s Bold Call: Why Carry Trades May Be Facing Their Final Days

A new JPMorgan report warns that carry trades are losing effectiveness as global interest rates decline, urging investors to be more selective with currency risks. The Japanese yen has lost appeal after unexpected rate hikes, while the Swiss franc carries potential bullish risks. JPMorgan suggests rethinking strategies as carry trade returns are expected to diminish … Read more

Zimbabwe Injects $50 Million to Bolster Devalued Currency

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has injected an additional $50 million into the market to support the foreign exchange system. However, industry leaders believe the bank is not doing enough to facilitate the smooth operation of the market. They argue that the policy requiring companies to have no existing nostro balances before bidding for … Read more

Nigeria’s Central Bank Raises Benchmark Rate by 50 Basis Points

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) raised the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by 50 basis points to 27.25% and increased the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) for banks. These measures aim to combat inflation and stabilize the Nigerian economy. The CBN governor, Olayemi Cardoso, stated that the reforms implemented have restored the bank’s credibility and boosted … Read more

Court Orders New York Man to Pay $36M for Forex, Digital Asset Fraud

William Koo Ichioka has been ordered to pay over $36 million after admitting to a forex and digital asset fraud scheme. His scam, which started in 2018, involved falsifying financial documents and misusing investor funds for personal luxuries like cars and jewelry. In addition to financial penalties, Ichioka faces prison time. The Commodity Futures Trading … Read more

Ethiopia Announces Launch of Forex Auction Sale Days After Birr Float

The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) said it will conduct a special foreign exchange auction on Aug. 7. The Ethiopian central bank envisions similar auctions in the coming weeks, depending on market conditions. The NBE said banks keen on participating must submit their bids on the date of the sale. According to the Ethiopian apex … Read more

El Paso Man Fined $31M for Forex and Crypto Fraud

A federal court has ordered Abner Alejandro Tinoco and his company, Kikit & Mess Investments LLC, to pay over $31 million for forex and cryptocurrency fraud. The order includes $6.2 million in restitution, $6.3 million in disgorgement, and an $18.8 million civil penalty. Tinoco and his firm defrauded 199 victims by misusing over $7.2 million … Read more

Nigeria Acts to Defend Naira After Currency Hits New Record Low

The Central Bank of Nigeria recently sold U.S. dollars to Bureaux de Change (BDC) at a flat rate of NGN1,450 per greenback. The central bank stated that eligible BDCs can sell the dollars to end-users at a margin of no more than 1.5% above the purchase exchange rate. The Nigerian apex bank disclosed that it … Read more