Nigeria’s Central Bank Orders Banks to Close Accounts of All Crypto Users

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has circulated a letter directing banks and financial institutions to identify and close accounts of cryptocurrency transacting entities. The directive, which took immediate effect, threatens “severe regulatory sanctions” to financial institutions that fail to comply. Banks Taking Immediate Action Immediately following the letter’s publication, some banks and other financial service providers began complying with the directive. The CEO of Binance, Changpeng Zhao, tweeted that his company had received word from its Nigerian partners....

Nigeria’s central bank has a message for domestic financial firms and institutions: don’t touch virtual currencies. The Central Bank of Nigeria’s Financial Policy and Regulation Department has released a new circular advising banks not to "use, hold and/or transact in any way" with the technology. The document cites bitcoin, onecoin, monero and dogecoin as examples, noting that banks that opt to handle digital currencies “do so at [their] own risk”. Notably, the circular also calls for banks to keep tabs on any customers they may have that operate digital currency exchanges.....

The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria has seemingly softened his stance on crypto for individuals, if not banks. Godwin Emefiele, governor of Nigeria’s central bank which previously banned banks from servicing crypto exchanges, has reportedly clarified the bank’s position on the use of cryptocurrencies in the country.According to local news outlet TodayNG, Central Bank of Nigeria, or CBN, deputy governor Adamu Lamtek said on behalf of Emefiele that the bank had not banned Nigerian residents from buying, trading, or selling crypto, but “[protected] the banking sector from the....

In February, the CBN banned banks from servicing crypto exchanges in the country, citing concerns including volatility, money laundering, and the financing of terrorism. The Central Bank of Nigeria has reportedly ordered all commercial banks in the country to freeze accounts with at least two individuals engaged in crypto trading.According to a Nov. 7 report from Nigerian news outlet Peoples Gazette, the Director of Banking Supervision, J.Y. Mammanand, issued a notice directing the central bank to close the accounts of two alleged crypto traders and move their funds “in suspense accounts.”....

Crypto and blockchain stakeholders in Nigeria have criticized the central bank’s decision to ban banks from servicing crypto firms. The Central Bank of Nigeria has banned banks from servicing crypto exchanges in the country in a move that echoes actions taken by its Indian counterpart back in 2018. Reactions to the news among the political class have been divided among ethnic and geopolitical lines, with the more progressive elements calling for a nuanced approach by the apex bank.In November 2020, Nigeria’s gross domestic product declined for a second successive quarter, plunging the....