Governments across Africa are striking a firm tone regarding bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, with Algeria’s congress expected to ban all cryptocurrencies, and Kenya’s central bank warning against the risks of cryptocurrency, and an advisor to Ghana’s ministry of communications describing “fear of the unknown” as the principal barrier to greater adoption of virtual currencies. In other […]
Kenyan Central Bank Fears Bitcoin May Comprise “Ponzi Scheme”
The Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), Dr. Patrick Njoroge has warned Kenyans against the risks and lack of protections afforded to cryptocurrency traders. Referring to a previous warning issued in 2015, Dr. Njoroge stated that the CBK “warned everybody that this was a risky venture and the consumer is not protected. It could very well be a Ponzi scheme of a kind, I think you have seen how the prices have gone up and down in various places. Our point is that there is risk and it is important that everybody knows that those risks can come back to haunt us and could have financial stability concerns.”
Despite the warning, Dr. Njoroge recently expressed his hesitance to rush to regulate cryptocurrencies, describing the CBK as being “open” to innovations in financial technology. Speaking at the recent Global Financial Forum in Dubai, Dr. Njoroge stated: “If you’re the regulator, you have to be careful that all risks are taken care of, including in cryptocurrencies, but we’re very open to innovation.”