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Nate Kostar
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Robert Lakin
Reviewed by Robert Lakin,Staff Editor

Blockchain.com expands into Ghana after 700% trading growth in Nigeria

The crypto brokerage said increasing demand across West Africa is driving its expansion as user activity grows across the Sub-Saharan region.

Blockchain.com expands into Ghana after 700% trading growth in Nigeria
News

Crypto brokerage company Blockchain.com is expanding into Ghana as part of a broader push to grow its presence across Africa, following rapid user growth in Nigeria over the past year.

The company said it plans to offer Ghanaian users access to its trading platform as it builds out regional infrastructure and explores additional African markets.

The expansion follows strong growth in Nigeria, where the company launched retail operations last year and reported more than a 700% increase in brokerage transaction volume. According to the company, the most traded assets on its platform in the country have been Bitcoin

, Tether and Tron .

The company said Ghana has also seen rising activity on its platform ahead of the formal launch, with active users increasing 140% over the past year and transaction volumes climbing 80%.

“We are actively collaborating with Ghanaian officials and regulators to help build a regulatory framework and have already established local compliance representation in Ghana,” a Blockchain.com spokesperson said.

The company said expanding local payment infrastructure will be important as it enters the Ghanaian market. “Given how widely used mobile money is in Ghana, integration with the mobile money ecosystem is a key focus,” the spokesperson told Cointelegraph.

Blockchain.com said it is building local teams to support operations, partnerships and regulatory engagement as it expands across the region. The company already operates in more than 70 jurisdictions worldwide and plans to enter additional African markets as part of its long-term growth strategy.

Data from Chainalysis shows Nigeria consistently ranks among the world’s leading countries for grassroots crypto adoption, with activity driven by remittances, currency volatility and a large mobile-first user base.

Founded in 2011 and headquartered in London, Blockchain.com is a cryptocurrency platform that offers trading services, digital asset wallets and other crypto infrastructure to users worldwide.

Related: Uganda opposition leader promotes Bitchat amid fears of internet blackout

Crypto adoption grows across Sub-Saharan Africa

Crypto use has grown quickly across Sub-Saharan Africa in recent years. The region received more than $205 billion in onchain crypto value between July 2024 and June 2025, a 52% increase from the previous year, making it the third-fastest-growing crypto market globally, according to a September report from Chainalysis.

Nigeria dominates crypto activity, receiving more than $92 billion during the period. South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya and Ghana rank among the next largest markets. Analysts say demand is often driven by cross-border payments, remittances and efforts to hedge against currency volatility.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos in January, former UN under-secretary-general Vera Songwe said stablecoins are increasingly used for remittances and cross-border payments. She said traditional money transfers often cost about $6 for every $100 sent, while stablecoins can reduce fees and settle transactions in minutes.

Songwe added that persistent inflation in several African economies and limited access to banking services are also pushing more users toward digital dollar alternatives.

Earlier this month, the executive chairman of Africa Bitcoin Corporation Stafford Masie said that Bitcoin functions as everyday money in some African communities rather than primarily as a store of value. Speaking on the Coin Stories podcast with Natalie Brunell, Masie said some merchants in local circular economies accept payments in satoshis instead of fiat currencies.

Meanwhile, Africa recorded the highest median stablecoin-to-fiat conversion spreads among tracked regions in February, according to data from payments infrastructure company Borderless.xyz.

Magazine: The debate over Bitcoin’s four-year cycle is over: Benjamin Cowen

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Sam Bourgi
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Robert Lakin
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EU’s regulated blockchain securities market adds first bank participant

Swiss crypto bank Amina has joined 21X as a regulated banking participant, linking traditional financial institutions with a blockchain-based market for issuing tokenized securities.

EU’s regulated blockchain securities market adds first bank participant
News

Amina, a Swiss-regulated crypto bank, has joined a blockchain-based settlement platform for tokenized securities operating under the European Union’s DLT pilot regime, marking another step toward integrating digital asset infrastructure with traditional capital markets.

The Zug, Switzerland-based company announced Monday that it has become a listing sponsor on the EU-regulated platform 21X, making Amina the venue’s first fully regulated bank participant.

Amina said the move will allow it to support companies issuing tokenized securities on 21X through its partnership with Tokeny, a Luxembourg-based company that provides technology for creating and managing tokenized financial assets.

The collaboration aims to address a key barrier to institutional adoption of tokenized assets by connecting regulated banks with the issuance and trading of tokenized securities.

21X received an infrastructure permit under the EU’s DLT pilot regime in December 2024, allowing it to run a regulated market for blockchain-based securities in a regulatory test environment.

“A lack of interoperability of tokenized asset platforms” was cited by Baker McKenzie’s European Financial Services practice in June as one of the main obstacles to the adoption of tokenization among financial institutions. “Scale will only be achieved when numerous market players are transacting with each other on common or interconnected platforms,” Zurich partner Yves Mauchle wrote on the firm’s blog.

Introduced in 2023, the DLT framework allows market operators to experiment with blockchain-based trading and settlement of financial instruments within a regulatory sandbox. The program is intended to help regulators evaluate how the technology could fit into existing market infrastructure.

Despite early uptake, the regime has faced scrutiny from industry participants, who warn that its current limits could prevent European onchain markets from scaling and competing with other jurisdictions. It remains unclear whether participation from regulated banks such as Amina will help accelerate adoption.

Related: Crypto exchanges gain as tokenized commodity market climbs to $7.7B

Strong growth of tokenized real-world assets

The development comes as financial institutions increasingly invest in blockchain infrastructure for tokenized assets. In the United States, institutions including BNY, Nasdaq and S&P Global recently backed the expansion of the Canton Network, while Europe is testing regulated blockchain trading venues such as 21X under the EU’s DLT pilot regime.

In February, eight EU-regulated digital asset companies urged policymakers to accelerate digital asset legislation, warning that the bloc risks falling behind the United States and other jurisdictions in developing tokenized financial markets.

The total value of tokenized real-world assets has reached $26.5 billion. Source: RWA.xyz

To be sure, positive developments are taking place. In September, crypto exchange Kraken launched tokenized securities trading for European users through its xStocks platform, which offers blockchain-based versions of US-listed equities. 

Two months later, tokenization platform Ondo received regulatory approval in Liechtenstein to offer tokenized equities trading to European investors.

Related: Crypto Biz: Kraken plugs into the Fed

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Gleb K
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Vladimir Shapovalov
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How United Nations Development Programme is using blockchains for public infrastructure

A new United Nations Development Programme report outlines how blockchain can support public systems.

How United Nations Development Programme is using blockchains for public infrastructure
Research
United Nations

Public institutions are under pressure to modernize faster than their systems were built to handle. In its recent report, New Tech, New Partners: Transforming development in the digital era, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) outlines a model for using blockchains as part of a broader effort to modernize public systems. The publication showcases over 40 pilot projects around the world that apply blockchain technology to improve transparency, speed and accountability of public systems. This ranges from payment infrastructure and social safety nets to climate finance and community-level funding mechanisms, enabled by fundraising platforms, wallets and digital certificates. 

The UNDP uses a pipeline model, which creates purpose-built partnerships that bring governments, blockchain startups and local companies together to solve public sector problems. Institutions get an opportunity to test new tools through small, problem-led initiatives and specific use cases. These tools are implemented on a local level and designed to solve specific problems, such as inefficient payment rails for micro-entrepreneurs or regional ESG control.

In its framework, UNDP treats blockchains as a trusted ledger for coordination and verification. The ability of blockchains to support shared records, traceable transactions and rule-based processes across multiple actors makes them a useful tool for governmental systems. UNDP also makes clear that these benefits are conditional. Poor governance, weak privacy protections and flawed technical design can create serious risks, such as defects in smart contracts or Illicit use of payment systems. The report reaches a pragmatic conclusion: Blockchain can be useful, but only when institutional safeguards are built in from the start and the technology is adopted responsibly with robust oversight.

Central to UNDP's approach is a commitment to platform-agnostic ways of working, which ensures that no single provider or protocol creates new dependencies, and that the digital infrastructure being built today remains open, interoperable, and genuinely in service of people and public purpose.

The report showcases how blockchains can be used to make public institutions more efficient and transparent, with examples from more than 40 countries across payments, financial access, identity systems and climate-related programs. Examples include projects such as crypto wallets for informal business payments, the use of eco-credit tokens and more. The cases also show how digital tools can help institutions extend services in developing nations, where trust is limited and infrastructure is fragmented.

Explore the full UNDP report to see the complete framework, lessons and portfolio of use cases.

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision. This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as, legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph. Cointelegraph does not endorse the content of this article nor any product mentioned herein. Readers should do their own research before taking any action related to any product or company mentioned and carry full responsibility for their decisions. While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, Cointelegraph does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information in this article. This article may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Cointelegraph will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on this information.

Zoltan Vardai
Written by Zoltan Vardai,Staff Writer
Bryan O'Shea
Reviewed by Bryan O'Shea,Staff Editor

Bithumb faces possible six-month partial suspension in South Korea

Crypto exchange Bithumb risks a partial business suspension for negligence around money laundering and customer verification practices, according to local media reports.

Bithumb faces possible six-month partial suspension in South Korea
News

Bithumb, South Korea’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, is reportedly facing a possible partial business suspension of up to six months as regulators step up enforcement over anti-money laundering controls.

South Korea’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) gave Bithumb a preliminary notice of a six-month partial suspension over alleged anti-money laundering and know-your-customer failures under the Act on Reporting and Using Specified Financial Transaction Information, according to local media reports on Monday. The regulator reportedly cited concerns over dealings with unregistered overseas virtual asset service providers and shortcomings in customer due diligence.

The FIU also issued a reprimand warning to Bithumb’s CEO, a warning considered a heavy penalty, which may lead to restrictions on his reappointment or future roles. Regulators are expected to hold a sanctions review later in March before deciding on any final measures. Bithumb told News1 that the action remains at the pre-notification stage and that the scope of any sanctions could still change.

“This measure is not yet a confirmed sanction, but is a pre-notification stage, and there may be some adjustments in the sanctions trial,” a Bithumb spokesperson said, adding that “restrictions only apply to the transfer (withdrawal) of virtual assets by new members.”

If finalized, the suspension would restrict new users from transferring digital assets off the platform, according to the report. Bithumb did not immediately respond to Cointelegraph’s request for comment.

Related: South Korea moves to cap crypto exchange shareholder stakes at 20%: Report

The notice follows scrutiny on South Korea’s Financial Services Commission’s failure to detect critical flaws tied to Bithumb’s internal systems after the exchange mistakenly credited 2,000 Bitcoin (

per user instead of 2,000 Korean won ($1.40) during a promotional event on Feb. 6, distributing a total of 620,000 BTC (worth around $43 billion at the time).

Related: Hacker returns $21M in Bitcoin stolen from South Korean authorities: Report

South Korean regulators impose stricter money laundering regulations

South Korean regulators are seeking to impose stricter sanctions on crypto exchanges suspected of AML and KYC violations. 

In November 2025, FIU imposed a partial three-month suspension and a 35.2 billion won ($25 million) fine on cryptocurrency exchange Upbit's parent company, Dunamu, for similar violations. 

Crypto exchange Korbit also received a warning and a 2.73 billion won ($1.9 million) fine in December 2025.

Both administrative penalties stemmed from concerns related to dealings with overseas crypto service providers and neglect of customer verification practices.

Magazine: How crypto laws changed in 2025 — and how they’ll change in 2026

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Bitcoiners celebrate as the network produces its 20 millionth coin

“A digital money system with transparent, predictable, and ultimately scarce supply... has rising appeal in today’s economy due to fiat currency tail risks," said Grayscale.

Bitcoiners celebrate as the network produces its 20 millionth coin
News

The Bitcoin network has just reached 20 million mined coins, leaving just one million Bitcoin to be mined over the next century. 

“The market is about to experience something new: A global asset with almost no new supply left,” Energy Co managing partner David Eng said in an X post on Sunday.

On average, about 450 new Bitcoins are mined each day at current rates. This rate halves roughly every four years as a result of the Bitcoin halving. With just 1 million Bitcoin supply left, the last Bitcoin is set to be mined around 2140. 

Bitcoin's finite supply offers “predictable rules”

Bitcoin mining company Elektron Energy CEO Raphael Zagury told Cointelegraph the level of clarity around Bitcoin’s supply is “unprecedented.”

“The issuance schedule is transparent decades into the future. Humans value predictable rules, especially when it comes to money,” Zagury said.

Cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin Price, Bitcoin Mining
Source: Joe Consorti

“The one million countdown reinforces everything that's unique about Bitcoin,” added crypto exchange Swyftx portfolio manager Tommy Rogulj. 

“It is a hard-capped, permissionless, and neutral bearer asset operating on a transparent supply curve that cannot be expanded like fiat currencies. This matters in a world that is increasingly succumbing to conflict and tech-driven uncertainty.”

In December, asset management firm Grayscale Investments said that a “digital money system with transparent, predictable, and ultimately scarce supply is a simple idea, but it has rising appeal in today’s economy due to fiat currency tail risks.”

“Non-event, no impact” on BTC’s price: Crypto exec

However, crypto analysts were not convinced the recent milestone would affect Bitcoin’s price.

Cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin Price, Bitcoin Mining
Source: Bitcoin For Freedom

“Already priced in, markets know the supply growth rate (inflation rate) of BTC with certainty, and it's already lower than gold,” Capriole Investments founder Charles Edwards told Cointelegraph. “I think it's a non-event, no impact.”

Zagury shares a similar view to Edwards. “I don’t think the milestone alone moves price in the short term,” Zagury said, adding that “liquidity and macro still dominate.”

Related: Bitcoin drops 2% as oil prices surge on energy shortage fears

“But long term, scarcity plus predictable policy is a powerful combination. Over time, markets tend to reward systems people can trust,” he said.

Bitcoin traded at $68,670 at the time of publication, down around 19% in the past year, according to CoinMarketCap.

What happens once Bitcoin supply stops? 

One of the biggest questions among Bitcoiners is what happens once the last Bitcoin is mined in 2140, with some worried that the network’s security could suffer, as miners will no longer be incentivized by new coins. 

It is understood that at that point, Bitcoin’s model will shift to transaction fees to incentivize miners to continue securing the network, though there are some concerns that it could lead to higher transaction fees.

Magazine: The debate over Bitcoin’s four-year cycle is over: Benjamin Cowen

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Strategy buys $1.3B in Bitcoin as holdings top 738,000 BTC

The purchase brings Strategy’s total Bitcoin reserves to nearly 739,000 BTC despite the asset trading below the company’s average acquisition price.

Strategy buys $1.3B in Bitcoin as holdings top 738,000 BTC
News

Michael Saylor’s Strategy, the world’s largest public holder of Bitcoin, added another large tranche of BTC to its holdings last week, pushing total reserves above 738,000 BTC.

Saylor’s Strategy acquired 17,994 Bitcoin

for $1.28 billion last week, according to a US Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Monday.

The purchase marks the largest BTC acquisition made by Strategy since January, when it acquired 22,305 BTC for $2.13 billion at an average price of $95,284 per BTC.

Source: SEC

The latest purchase was made at an average price of $70,946 per Bitcoin, below the company’s overall average acquisition price of $75,862, Strategy said, but well above the $67,000 level at which BTC traded for most of the week.

The purchase brings its holdings to 738,731 BTC, acquired for a total cost of roughly $56 billion, the company said.

The first major buy below Strategy’s cost basis

Strategy’s latest Bitcoin purchase marks one of its largest BTC acquisitions on record, despite BTC trading below the company’s cost basis.

In the past, during similar below-cost periods around 2022-2023, Strategy typically avoided larger buys, completing a total of 28,560 BTC across seven smaller purchases.

Source: SaylorTracker

According to SaylorTracker, Strategy has already completed five acquisitions during the current below-cost period, buying a total of 25,229 BTC since Feb. 9.

Since Feb. 9, Strategy’s average cost basis has so far dropped 0.25%, from $76,052 to $75,862.

Business, Bitcoin Price, MicroStrategy, Michael Saylor
Source: Michael Saylor

The amount of Bitcoin purchased in Strategy’s latest buy far exceeds the pace of new BTC supply entering circulation, commentators noted on X.

According to data from BitBo, about 450 BTC are mined per day, or roughly 3,150 BTC per week. By acquiring nearly 18,000 BTC, Strategy purchased the equivalent of about five weeks of newly mined Bitcoin.

Related: Oil retreats from 25% surge as G7 weighs emergency reserve release

Strategy’s holdings of about 738,000 BTC now account for roughly 3.7% of Bitcoin’s circulating supply, which is expected to reach 20 million coins on Monday.

At publication, BTC traded at $67,725, up around 2.4% over the past seven days, according to CoinGecko. Strategy (MSTR) shares also rebounded 3.6% over the past week, closing at $133.5 on Friday, according to TradingView.

Magazine: Would Bitcoin really be at $200K if not for Jane Street? Trade Secrets

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Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently. Read our Editorial Policy https://cointelegraph.com/editorial-policy