South Africa Added to FATF ‘Grey List’ Despite Designation of Crypto as a Financial Product
In a move seen as a major setback for South Africa, the international financial watchdog, the Financial Action Task Force, announced on Feb. 24 that it had added the country to its “grey list.” Getting grey-listed by the financial watchdog potentially makes it difficult for South Africa to obtain loans from foreign banks. A Setback […]
Ghanaian Cedi Second Worst-Performing Asset Among Sub-Saharan Africa’s Top 15 Currencies
In just the first 17 days of the new year, the Ghanaian currency reportedly depreciated by 12.7%, making it the second worst-performing among Sub-Saharan Africa’s top 15 currencies. While one U.S. dollar bought 13.10 units of the cedi on the parallel market, according to the latest Bank of Ghana data, one greenback buys around 10.36 […]
Report: Somalia to Fight Inflation and Counterfeiters With New Banknotes
According to the deputy governor of the Somalian central bank, Ali Yasin Wardheere, the institution plans to fight inflation and currency counterfeiters with newly issued shilling banknotes. The bank reportedly said it hopes to complete the process of replacing old and high-value shilling bills with newly designed banknotes in 2024. Preserving the Value of New […]
Ghanaian Cedi Appreciates by More Than 30% in 4 Days — Currency Recovery Follows IMF Loan Announcement
Just a few months after it became the world’s worst-performing currency, the Ghanaian cedi’s exchange rate versus the U.S. dollar bounced back from just over 14 units per dollar on Dec. 1, to 8 units for every dollar by Dec. 16, new data has shown. The currency’s resurgence appears to have been fueled by reports […]
IMF Blog: Better Regulation of Africa’s Growing Crypto Market Urgently Needed
A well-regulated African cryptocurrency market is needed in order to protect users as well as help countries stop bad actors from using digital assets to circumvent capital controls, the latest post on the IMF blog has said. The blog post reiterated the IMF’s belief that risks to a country are “much greater if crypto is […]
Nigerian Currency Gains Versus US Dollar Days After Tapping All-Time Low
Just a few days after plummeting to its worst exchange rate against the U.S. dollar ever, the Nigerian currency was trading at around 820 units for every dollar on Nov. 8, a report has said. An economist has suggested that the Central Bank of Nigeria’s controversial currency plan is unlikely to halt the naira’s depreciation […]
While Official Figures Claim Turkey’s Inflation Rate Is 85%, Third-Party Stats Say It’s Closer to 200%
Inflation has skyrocketed in Turkey as official figures from the Turkish Statistical Institute (Tüik) show the country’s inflation rate topped 85.5% year-on-year. The inflation rate in Turkey has risen for 17 consecutive months and last month it reached a 24-year high. Turkey’s Interest Rate Remains Low, While Inflation Runs Rampant Turkey, the transcontinental country located […]
IMF Renews Risk Warning On Stablecoins, But Admits Their Benefits
A study carried out by the IMF acknowledges the necessity of stablecoins to some economies, and the subsequent difficulty in prohibiting them. The body proposes the creation of “complete, consistent, and coordinated global standards” for the purpose of regulating and supervising the issuance and trading of cryptocurrencies. According to the study, the popularity of stablecoins […]