Bitcoin’s Lightning Network (LN) capacity recently surpassed an all-time high of 5,000 BTC. The Lightning Network is a neutral protocol built on top of Bitcoin and currently it does not have a “native” token attached to it like many decentralized finance platforms. Although the Lightning Network’s total liquidity is less than 0.5% of the ETH in DeFi contracts, the uptrend in Bitcoin’s LN capacity versus a downtrend in the amount of ETH locked in smart contracts is encouraging for LN development. While the liquidity on the LN has been rising consistently, the number of channels on the peer-to-peer network dropped …

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) continues with its attempts to create its central bank digital currency (CBDC), the eNaira, but this time it’s calling in for backup. In a Bloomberg report on Feb. 21, the CBN is in talks with new “technology partners” for the development of a new and improved system to manage the eNaira. The Nigerian financial authority has discussed these plans with the New York-based technology firm R3, according to sources close to the matter. New software for the eNaria will be created with the intention for the CBN to keep full control over the initiative, …

Bank of Zambia and the country's securities regulator are "testing technology" to enable the regulation of cryptocurrencies, said Technology and Science minister Felix Mutati on the ministry's website. The country's move aims to "achieve an inclusive digital economy." Speaking in the city of Lusaka, Zambia's capital, the minister claimed that "cryptocurrency is the future that the country desires to achieve", but a policy framework is required to support this "revolutionary technology." According to Mutati: "[...] the testing of the technology on regulating cryptocurrency will be upscaled in due course as part of deliberate measures to achieve an inclusive digital economy …

The South African grocery retailer Pick n Pay is expanding its Bitcoin (BTC) coverage to all 1,628 stores across the country following a three-month pilot testing phase in 39 locations. As part of its nationwide rollout, store customers will be able to pay for items using cryptocurrency via smartphone apps or by scanning a QR code and accepting the South African rand's conversion rate at the time of payment. Good news, everyone! CryptoQR is now active at all Pick-n-Pay stores across South Africa, including PnP express and clothing shops! You can also buy Airtime and Electricity, Plane and Bus tickets, …

Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has become the first national park in the world to run a Bitcoin (BTC) mine in an effort to protect its forests and wildlife. Cointelegraph spoke with Sébastien Gouspillou, CEO of Big Block Green Services, and the man who introduced Bitcoin mining to the park. Speaking via video call, Gouspillou said with a smile: “Bitcoin mining saved the park from bankruptcy.” Virunga is Africa's oldest protected park and a symbol of the continent's biodiversity. A report by journalist Adam Popescu, published in MIT Technology Review, explained that the region was …

The price of Bitcoin (BTC) in Nigeria has skyrocketed to well above market levels amid continued efforts by the central bank to push its citizens into digitalized cash. At the time of writing, the price of 1 BTC on Nigerian crypto exchange NairaEX is currently 17.8 million Naira, equating to a whopping $38,792. This represents more than a 60% premium over the current market price of Bitcoin, which is around $23,700 at the time of writing. It comes as the Central Bank of Nigeria has continued to impose limits on ATM cash withdrawals amid an ongoing effort to accelerate its …

A Bitcoin (BTC) mining project that taps into clean, stranded and excess hydro energy in Malawi has picked up steam. The company behind the project, Gridless, shared that there are now “1600 families connected to this remote hydro mini-grid in the mountains of southern Malawi.” 1600 families connected to this remote hydro minigrid in the mountains of southern Malawi. They have 50kW of stranded energy that we are testing out as a new Bitcoin mining site. Videos for context. Still working on venting, wiring, etc. pic.twitter.com/Sxf8ABGPWH — Gridless (@GridlessCompute) January 21, 2023 The project exploits 50 Kilowatt (kW) of stranded …

Central African Republic (CAR), a developing country in Central Africa, set up a 15-member committee responsible for drafting a bill on the use of cryptocurrencies and tokenization in the region. According to Faustin-Archange Touadéra, the president of CAR, cryptocurrencies can potentially help eradicate the country’s financial barriers. He believed in creating a business-friendly environment supported by a legal framework for cryptocurrency usage. A rough translation of the official press release reads: “With access to cryptocurrencies, the monetary barriers existing until now will disappear, the main objective of the measures adopted by the government being the development of the national economy.” …

Nigerian crypto exchange Roqqu was granted a virtual currency license for the European Economic Area, after two years waiting for the permission from regulatory authorities. The move allows the firm to operate in 30 countries and broaden its services within one of the world's largest crypto markets. Speaking to Cointelegraph, the company said that seeks to attract early traders looking to gain an edge in the crypto space by offering a better experience for newcomers and competitive fees. With the expansion, Roqqu plans to reach over 5 million users in 2023, up from 1.4 million users in Nigeria, the only …

A Bitcoin Lightning Network node (BTC) has struck the earth in one of the most challenging operating environments. Lagos, the capital of Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria, welcomed a new Bitcoin Lightning node this week, a vital step to better connect the continent to the layer-2 payments network atop Bitcoin, the Lightning Network (LN). The node runs on an old laptop powered by a diesel generator as Lagos regularly experiences energy and electricity blackouts. In a discussion with Cointelegraph, Megasley, who is the first Nigerian Lightning node of 2023 and the first active Lightning node in the country (as other …

In the spring of 2022, the Central African Republic (CAR) became the first African country to adopt Bitcoin (BTC) as a legal tender. As the second country globally to recognize Bitcoin in such a fashion, the CAR followed in El Salvador’s footsteps. El Salvador has since boasted surging tourism numbers, a resilient economy and a healthy amount of free PR since allowing its citizens to make everyday purchases with the seminal cryptocurrency. The CAR, a substantially less economically developed economy than its Central American counterpart, would hope to emulate El Salvador’s success. Despite the nation’s vast natural resource wealth, the …

Effective regulations are one of the key gateways to cryptocurrency’s mainstream adoption. Due to greater compliance, crypto businesses saw broader acceptance from regulators worldwide. While the crypto ecosystem was awarded countless operational licenses and exposure to new markets, the fall of Terraform Labs, FTX and Celsius, among others, had a negative impact on the industry's reputation with investors and regulators alike. As we look back on 2022 and all it brought for the cryptocurrency industry, we're highlighting how the regulatory landscape has changed for cryptocurrencies and the blockchain industry as a whole. North America China’s blanket ban on crypto mining …