Phantom Money: Counterfeit Dollar Bills Haunt Istanbul Bazaar

Fears of counterfeit $50 and $100 bills have disrupted foreign-exchange trade at Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, with some bureaus halting the purchase of these bills due to issues with identifying fake notes. There are conflicting views on the extent of the problem, with some traders blaming banks for clogging the system by not accepting old dollar … Read more

Ruble Plunges to New 2024 Low After US Imposes Sanctions Targeting Russian Banks

The Russian ruble weakened after the U.S. imposed new sanctions on Russian banks. Europe Reduces Reliance on Russian Gas The Russian ruble fell to its lowest level since March 2022 after the U.S. imposed sanctions on 50 Russian banks, further disrupting the inflow of foreign currency into the country. On Nov. 27, the ruble-dollar exchange … Read more

Zimbabwe Plans to ‘Float’ Rapidly Depreciating Gold-Backed Currency

Zimbabwe has said it plans to let its rapidly depreciating gold-backed currency, Zig, float freely on the foreign exchange market. A central bank official said this would help the currency achieve price discovery without administrative interference. However, the official did not give a timeline for when the central bank intends to implement this policy. Since … Read more

World Bank: Nigeria Loses $8B on Foreign Exchange Subsidies Over 3 Years

The World Bank reports that Nigeria lost over $8 billion due to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) refusal to float the naira between 2021 and 2023. This foreign exchange subsidy, along with the fuel subsidy, deprived the government of revenue. The World Bank acknowledges the suffering caused by the government’s policies but insists they … Read more

Nigerian Currency ‘Most Competitive in 20 Years,’ Says World Bank

Nigeria’s currency reforms under Bola Tinubu’s government have made the naira one of the most competitive in 20 years, according to World Bank chief economist Indermit Gill. The decision to float the naira and remove fuel subsidies helped prevent fiscal collapse. While the naira’s devaluation has exacerbated poverty and raised concerns about civil unrest but … Read more