Wave of Mobile Tax Hikes Squeezes Africa’s Poor to Indulge Governments

A smart robber fleeces you with a pen and a handshake. From Zimbabwe to Kenya, Uganda to Benin, African governments are on a tax-raising spree, looking for easy money, ostensibly to help fund successive revenue shortfalls and budget deficits. Often, the money ends up being misappropriated by corrupt public officials. The best weapon in government … Read more

Pushing the Boundaries of Economic Change: Bitcoin as a Medium of Exchange in Africa

Bitcoin is pushing the boundaries of economic change in Africa. In East Africa, a new deal between digital currency exchange Bitpesa and a Japanese firm shows Kenyans are using bitcoin to pay for used Japanese cars, cosmetics and electrical gadgets. In Nigeria, Sure Remit is helping make cash transfers cheaper and in Zimbabwe, TV subscriptions, … Read more

P2P Markets Report: Record-Breaking Volume Across VEB, ARS, and PHP Markets

The peer-to-peer BTC markets of numerous emerging markets have witnessed significant action this past week, with the Localbitcoins markets of Venezuela, Argentina, and the Philippines posting record weekly fiat trade volume. The P2P markets of Tanzania and the Dominican Republic also saw notable surges in trading activity. Also Read: Huobi Launches Partner Exchanges in Russia, Philippines, … Read more

Tanzanian, Venezuelan, and Peru’s P2P Bitcoin Markets Witness Record Volume

The trading volume for Tanzanian bitcoin pairings on Localbitcoins has spiked to establish a new record high this week. The sudden spike in volume has occurred after several months of increasing warnings regarding virtual currencies from Tanzania’s central bank. Certain South American markets have also seen spikes in trading activity, with Peru and Vietnam also … Read more

Canadian and European Bitcoin P2P Markets Set Record Trading Volume

Localbitcoins trading volume has witnessed volume spikes across miscellaneous markets in recent weeks, with global volume bouncing to $75 million USD this past week. The Canadian and European markets both produced record volume this past week – after both markets produced seemingly anomalous spikes in trading activity. Also Read:Capitalization of Cryptocurrency Markets Loses 59% in … Read more

Bitcoin Adoption Continues to Thrive Within Africa’s Borders

According to multiple reports this week the decentralized currency bitcoin is still booming in many African countries. From South Africa to the Sub-Saharan region, citizens from all walks of life are finding bitcoin beneficial. This is making domestic cryptocurrency exchanges and peer-to-peer trading platforms’ volumes climb while digital currencies are also selling at a premium. … Read more

Bitcoin Adoption in Africa Hinders EAC Plans for a Unified Currency

Due to a declining economy and eroding national currencies, the East African Community (EAC), an intergovernmental central bank organization composed of six countries in eastern Africa have plans to adopt a unified currency. However, the growing popularity of bitcoin and other digital currencies are hindering the East African central bank’s abilities to establish a harmonized … Read more