Nigeria to Close Customer Accounts Linked to Bitcoin Activity
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Nigeria to Close Customer Accounts Linked to Bitcoin Activity

THELOGICALINDIAN - The cardinal comes as the final attach in the casket to the arising crypto area in Nigeria

The Central Bank of Nigeria has ordered its civic banks and all added banking institutions to abutting chump accounts affiliated to cryptocurrency use. 

Crypto Is Prohibited in Nigeria

For the aboriginal time, a central bank of a ample country has about ordered the closing of citizens’ coffer accounts for application cryptocurrencies. The cardinal comes into aftereffect immediately. 

In a letter mandate, The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBI) addressed all cyberbanking and added banking institutions and reminded them that it was absolutely “prohibited” to advice facilitate crypto transactions.

Under the mandate, cyberbanking institutions accept been instructed to analyze citizens and added companies aural the country who are alive users of cryptocurrency and abutting their coffer accounts.

The letter was active by Bello Hassan, Director of Banking Supervision, and instructed all Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), Non-Bank Financial Institutions (NBFs), and Other Financial Institutions (OFIs) in Nigeria to chase the authorization strictly.

“Accordingly, all DMBs, NBFIs, and OFIs are directed to analyze bodies and/or entities transacting in or operating cryptocurrency exchanges aural their systems and ensure such accounts are abutting immediately.’

The Central Bank additionally fabricated it bright that if banks do not accomplish the rule, they will be accustomed acrid authoritative sanctions.

Nigeria’s Central Bank (CBI) has against application Bitcoin and added cryptocurrencies for abounding years, admitting their large demand.

The axial coffer aboriginal issued a annular in January 2017 area it cautioned banks and all added banking institutions about the “risk” associated with cryptocurrency transactions.

Per estimates by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Nigeria is the world’s 27th better economy. The latest cardinal on cryptocurrencies may absolutely avoid the beginning technology in the fast-developing African country.

The Nigerian cardinal is a aciculate adverse with cyberbanking regulation in the U.S., for example, area banks themselves are accustomed to run cryptocurrency nodes.

Disclosure: The columnist did not authority crypto mentioned in this commodity at the time of press.