Network Latency Drives Solana Validator to South Africa’s Commercial Hub

Superfast founder Martin Tromp has launched a Solana validator in one of Teraco’s Johannesburg data centers. Solana is a fast, scalable blockchain platform competing with Ethereum. As a proof-of-stake system, validators like Tromp’s play a crucial role in maintaining network security and verifying transactions. Tromp initially launched the validator in Cape Town but moved to … Read more

Uniswap Labs CEO Denies Protocol Deployment Extortion Claims

Uniswap Labs CEO Hayden Abrams has refuted claims that the platform charges $20 million for protocol deployments, calling them “completely false.” Abrams, who said he rarely engages with individuals seeking attention, explained that protocol deployments typically follow a governance vote. He added that deployments are prioritized based on the activity and effort involved, but efforts … Read more

Nigeria Accuses Four Crypto Traders of Forex Regulations Violations

The Nigerian government has filed criminal charges against four individuals and several firms for allegedly conducting illegal crypto transactions, including USDT to naira conversions, without a banking license. The four are Ejiogu A. Chinedu, Nnamdi F. Okereke, Oty Ugochukwu Stanley, and Chukwuebuka F. Ogumba. The defendants are accused of violating the Banks and Other Financial … Read more

Lengthy Licensing Stumps Kenyan Fintech Startups

Fintech startups face significant challenges when expanding to Kenya, primarily due to the lengthy and complex process of obtaining an operating license. Obtaining a payment service provider (PSP) license can take up to two years, forcing startups to rely on workarounds such as partnerships with established players like telcos and banks. High market entry barriers … Read more

US and Africa Urged to Collaborate on AI Development

A two-day pan-African AI conference was held in Lagos, Nigeria, co-hosted by the United States. The conference aimed to promote safe, secure, and trustworthy AI systems in Africa, with hundreds of attendees from various fields. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell emphasized the importance of collaboration between the U.S. and Africa in AI development … Read more

US, Nigeria Convene AI Conference to Promote Inclusive Tech Adoption

The U.S. and Nigeria will host a pan-African Artificial Intelligence (AI) conference in Lagos from September 10-11. The conference will bring together government officials, tech leaders, and civil society to discuss the opportunities and challenges of AI development and use. Participants will work to identify and harmonize tech governance strategies to ensure AI is adopted … Read more

Japan’s Financial Services Agency Includes Crypto in 2025 Tax Proposal

The Financial Services Agency has released its tax reform requests for fiscal year 2025, highlighting the need to consider the tax treatment of virtual currency transactions as financial assets. This marks the first time virtual currencies are mentioned in such requests. Industry groups have long called for changes to the tax system for virtual currencies, … Read more

Jailed Binance Employee Tigran Gambaryan Denied Wheelchair, Forced to Use Crutches

Jailed Binance employee, Tigran Gambaryan, was denied the use of a wheelchair while entering court and had to use crutches, causing visible pain and distress. His lawyers filed a new bail application citing medical grounds and blocked access to him. The prosecution opposed the application, claiming Tigran was not ill despite medical records recommending urgent … Read more

Crypto Hacks and Scams Cost $300 Million in August

In August, approximately $310.9 million was lost to exploits, hacks, and scams. However, digital assets worth $10.3 million were recovered, resulting in a net loss of $300.6 million. According to the security firm Certik, this is the second-highest monthly loss in 2024 so far. While May had the highest exploit total loss of just over … Read more