Luno says National Treasury should go through Parliament to regulate crypto. (Image created by GenAI) Crypto-currency exchange Luno is arguing that National Treasury’s bid to bring digital currency under a 65-year-old forex regime is unconstitutional and contradicts the South African Reserve Bank’s own stance on the future role of stablecoins in payments. In a statement…
The South African crypto-currency exchange industry has matured significantly over the past few years. (Image source: 123RF) As crypto-currency adoption continues to grow in South Africa, investors are increasingly comparing exchanges on more than just the number of listed coins or mobile app features. This, as trading fees, often overlooked by new investors, can have…
The original discrepancies in Bitcoin and Litecoin balances were identified in early 2021. The founder of iCE3X, one of South Africa’s oldest crypto-currency exchanges, has challenged claims by the company’s liquidators that more than R30 million in crypto assets remain unaccounted for. Gareth Grobler, the former sole director and shareholder of iCE3X, says he has…
US President Donald Trump made more than $1bn (£750m) last year from business dealings in cryptocurrency, according to his mandatory financial report for 2025. In a 927-page disclosure, he reported $635m in royalties from a Trump meme coin that has plunged in value since he launched it days before taking office. He also reported over…
The author, Wiehann Olivier For years, one question in South Africa’s cryptocurrency debate has been deceptively simple: if bitcoin is bought in South Africa and moved to a wallet linked to an offshore custodian, has capital left the country? A new high court ruling brings that question into focus – not as a debate about…
When Nelson Mandela stood before parliament in February 1996, he made a commitment that should have been one of the defining economic reforms of the democratic era. “For us, it is not a matter of whether, but of when, these controls will be phased out,” he said of exchange controls, echoing a similar pledge made…
Binance South Africa’s Sam Mkhize Trust has become the defining currency of the digital age. As Africa’s crypto adoption accelerates, driven by young populations, mobile-first economies and a growing appetite for alternative financial systems, the question is no longer whether digital assets will play a central role in the continent’s economic future. The question is…
Bitget Wallet, the everyday finance app, today announced the expansion of its crypto card in South Africa. The card lets users spend crypto directly from a self-custodial wallet at hundreds of millions of merchants worldwide, covering everyday purchases such as groceries, travel, and digital subscriptions using stablecoins converted at the point of sale. Designed for…
Mark Diuga, CEO of Bitexen South Africa. Digital asset platform Bitexen has entered South Africa’s crypto market after 18 months of setting up a local presence. According to the Türkiye-headquartered company, over the past 18 months, it has been preparing regulatory processes, operational groundwork and establishing banking relationships. The move, it says, signals a shift…
Penalties for breaching proposed crypto regulations include jail terms of five years. (Image made via GenAI) If National Treasury gets its way, South Africans who do not comply with proposed regulations dealing with crypto-currency could face jail terms of up to five years, a R1 million fine, or both. In addition, if people are found…
