Quantcast

Economist Hanke: 'Crypto speculation is NOT the source of' Nigeria's economic crisis

Bitcoin price ‘thrives in conflict’ as regional wars escalate
USA vs Europe: Are EU Banks More Open to Regulated Crypto Businesses?
Crypto Archives – When Morocco Banned Cryptocurrencies from the Country
Bitcoin Price Makes Another Run at $100K as U.S. Traders Return After Thanksgiving
BTC Returns to Near $94K
Crypto in USA : Ripple gives 25 million $ to Fairshake to prepare for the 2026 elections
US dollar weakness, growing money supply could fuel Bitcoin 2025 rally
Binance partners with Bitcoin MENA 2024 as Moon sponsor
Crypto aid mortgage access for low-income households says Treasury report
Bitcoin ETFs hit new record with over $3.1B in weekly inflows
What is Bitcoin waiting for to break through $100,000? BTC's hesitation pushes traders towards this new project
Binance marks one year of leadership under new CEO
Bitcoin: Treat yourself to a volcano in El Salvador to mine BTC!
Bitcoin (BTC) Stake at MicroStrategy (MSTR) Grows to 386.7K After Latest Purchase
UK’s stringent crypto regulations spark debate as exchanges struggle to gain FCA approval
Polymarket Blocks French Traders Amid Gambling Inquiry
Gary Gensler announces his resignation for the inauguration of Donald Trump
FTX co-founder Gary Wang sentenced to time served
UK poised to unveil crypto regulations amid pressure to retain industry
Bitcoin in search of 100,000 $: A $400 million standoff
Trump's US-Propelled Crypto Adoption – Will France Follow?
MicroStrategy Upsizes Debt Offering to $2.6B; Breaks Into Top 100 U.S. Public Companies by Market Cap
Bitcoin on November 20 – BTC dominates the crypto market in this bull run
BIS study questions decentralization in DeFi liquidity provision
Bitcoin surges to record high near $95,000
Polish Presidential Candidate Bullish on Bitcoin – Following in Donald Trump’s Footsteps?
Cryptocurrencies: Goldman Sachs will dedicate its blockchain to institutional trading
Michael Saylor's MicroStrategy Added Additional 51,780 Bitcoin for $4.6B
Speculation looms over SEC leadership under Trump as rhetoric escalates
Outlier Ventures CCO: 'Fundamental crypto general-purpose technology' in off-chain sectors is 'interesting'
Economist Hanke: 'Crypto speculation is NOT the source of' Nigeria's economic crisis
Webp hanke
Steve Hanke, professor of applied economics at Johns Hopkins University | independent.org

Steve Hanke, a professor of applied economics at Johns Hopkins University, has attributed Nigeria's economic instability to the policies implemented by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), including significant increases in the country's money supply. Contrary to some perspectives, Hanke insists that cryptocurrency is not responsible for Nigeria's economic challenges.

"With the naira PLUNGING & inflation SURGING, NGA has hit the PANIC BUTTON – recently forcing Binance to halt its operations," said Hanke, according to X. "Crypto speculation is NOT the source of NGA's problems."

According to Johns Hopkins University's website, Hanke is the founder and co-director of its Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health, and the Study of Business Enterprise. He also holds senior fellow positions at both the Cato Institute and the Independent Institute. His previous roles include serving as a senior economist on President Reagan’s Council of Economic Advisers and as a senior adviser to the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Crypto Republique
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Nigerians grappling with soaring inflation and a devalued currency have increasingly turned to cryptocurrency as a means to safeguard their savings. However, in February, access to several crypto platforms was restricted by the Nigerian government. This included Binance, recognised as the world's largest crypto exchange. Following this action, two Binance executives were detained during their visit to meet with government officials in Nigeria. These executives - American citizen Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla who holds UK and Kenyan nationality - remain in detention without any formal charges against them. They are reportedly being held under guard with limited access to their phones. Gambaryan's wife has stated that she has been able to maintain minimal communication with her husband.

Binance's website indicates that Gambaryan joined their team in 2021 as vice president of Global Intelligence and Investigations. Prior to this role, he spent ten years serving as a special agent for the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Cyber Crimes Unit based in Washington D.C., where he led several multi-billion dollar cyber investigations.

While details regarding the detention of these two executives have not been openly discussed by the Nigerian government, Bayo Onanuga, an adviser to the Nigerian president, told the Wall Street Journal that Binance has been cooperating with government officials. Discussions regarding "compensation" to Nigeria have reportedly taken place. A spokesperson for Binance stated, "We are working collaboratively with Nigerian authorities to bring Nadeem and Tigran back home safely to their families. We trust there will be a swift resolution to this matter."

Economist Shedrach Israel expressed his belief that banning Binance will not resolve the issue of Nigeria's currency devaluation, as reported by Punch. Israel stated, "I don’t know why the cryptocurrency is being seen as sabotage on the exchange rate because the cryptocurrency is not the major means by which the dollar is flowing in Nigeria." It is estimated that 10.3% of Nigeria's population, equating to over 22 million people, currently hold crypto.

More News

Farid Mahmoodi, a crypto trader and whistleblower, has raised serious allegations against the cryptocurrency exchange Bitget.

May 29, 2025

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has issued a warning regarding Codex Finance, which is allegedly offering financial and crypto-related services without proper authorization.

May 22, 2025

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has issued a warning regarding Dragonfly Capital Fx, which is reportedly offering financial and crypto-related services without proper authorization.

May 22, 2025

The Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV) has announced that it has informed the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) of its adoption of five MiCA Regulation development guidelines.

May 22, 2025

The German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) has issued a warning to consumers regarding the website turbon.co.

May 21, 2025

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced its intention to seek feedback on proposed regulations for cryptoasset trading platforms.

May 17, 2025

Loading...

No comments available.