Tanzania Reportedly Blocks X Amid Opposition Crackdown

The East African nation of Tanzania has reportedly restricted access to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). This ongoing outage has been confirmed by Netblocks, an internet observatory organization. The incident coincides with a police alert regarding alleged plans by the opposition party to raid police stations. Prominent politician Tundu Lissu and four other … Read more

Binance CEO Calls Nigeria’s Detention of Tigran Gambaryan Unjust

Binance CEO Richard Teng has said that Tigran Gambaryan, a former U.S. federal agent working for Binance, has been unjustly detained in Nigeria for six months. Teng reiterated claims that Gambaryan’s physical and mental health has deteriorated significantly while in detention. The CEO criticized the Nigerian government’s justification for detaining Tigran as baseless. He also … Read more

Former US Federal Agent Tigran Gambaryan Marks 6 Months in Nigerian Detention

Tigran Gambaryan, a former U.S. federal agent and Binance executive, has now spent six months in Nigerian detention. Lawyers say he has been denied proper medical care, leading to severe health issues, including a herniated disc that has left him unable to walk. Additionally, his lawyers said that between July 26 and August 14, they … Read more

AI Curiosity Explodes: South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya Embrace the Technology

During the first half of 2024, Google Search trends revealed a significant rise in interest in artificial intelligence (AI) in South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya. Interest in AI grew by 150% in Kenya, 130% in Nigeria, and 120% in South Africa compared to the same period in 2023. Kenya ranked fourth in Africa and 13th … Read more

Yellow Card, Fireblocks Partner to Streamline African Cross-Border Payments

Yellow Card, a leading stablecoin platform, has partnered with Fireblocks, a digital asset infrastructure provider, to improve cross-border transactions in Africa. By leveraging Fireblocks’ technology, Yellow Card aims to provide secure and efficient on-chain solutions for businesses and individuals. This includes using Fireblocks’ Wallets-as-a-Service (WaaS) to manage and protect customer assets. This partnership addresses the … Read more

Zimbabwe’s Gold-Backed Currency Sees Gains, but US Dollar Remains Dominant

Zimbabwe’s gold-backed currency, the ZIG, has seen a significant increase in usage since its introduction in April. While the U.S. dollar remains the dominant currency for most citizens, the ZIG is used for 40% of payments and 80% of government transactions. The government aims to eventually replace the U.S. dollar with the ZIG as the … Read more

Nigeria’s SEC Denies Issuing Provisional Crypto Licenses

Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced that it has not yet issued any crypto licenses, contrary to some reports. The SEC plans to start issuing licenses for digital services and tokenized assets in August 2024. This move follows increased scrutiny of crypto exchanges and a push to regulate the industry, including a mandate … Read more

Zimbabwe Central Bank Denies Forced Remittance Conversion Claims

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has denied claims that it intends to force recipients of U.S. dollar-denominated remittances to convert their funds into local currency. The central bank clarified that it has no plans to review its diaspora remittances policy. According to the RBZ, the market had misconstrued a video on social media in … Read more

Brazilian Judge Ends Inquiry Into Bitcoin Ponzi Scheme Mastermind’s Death

A Brazilian federal judge has ordered criminal charges against Johann Steynberg, the late CEO of the bitcoin trading platform Mirror Trading International (MTI), to be dropped after a police investigation confirmed reports of his death. The order was handed down by Judge Silvio Gemaque, who said Steynberg’s death certificate was added to the case file. … Read more

South Africa Unveils National AI Policy Framework, Seeks Stakeholder Feedback

South Africa has published a national policy framework for artificial intelligence (AI) and is seeking feedback from stakeholders. This framework is the first step towards developing a comprehensive national AI policy. It aims to foster a robust AI ecosystem through coordinated efforts in research, talent cultivation, and infrastructure enhancement. The policy also emphasizes the importance … Read more