Author: Elan

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The CFTC has moved true Bitcoin perpetual futures from an offshore-liquidity debate into a US-regulated test case, with KalshiEX LLC now approved to list BTCPERP and Coinbase Financial Markets receiving separate staff-level relief for access to certain Deribit products.The Commission approved KalshiEX LLC’s BTCPERP contract as a futures contract, allowing the CFTC-registered designated contract market to list a no-expiry bitcoin perpetual tied to the spot price of BTC.In a separate move the same day, CFTC staff confirmed that certain Deribit digital commodity derivatives described by Coinbase Financial Markets may be treated as foreign futures when routed through Coinbase’s registered futures commission merchant structure.Chairman Mike Selig cast the…

SIM Swap is one of the leading causes of identity theft in Nigeria. It has largely contributed to people losing control or ownership of their phone numbers.  To a large extent, identity theft accounts for 63% of all digital financial crime in Africa, costing an estimated $4 billion annually. However, Africa’s weak cybersecurity system makes it easier for fraudsters to take over people’s phone numbers, access their financial accounts, and steal their identities. In fact, SIM swapping accounts for nearly 43% of all mobile money fraud in Africa, making financial loss the most concerning aspect of technology advancement in the…

Meta has introduced paid subscription plans for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The Plus tier subscriptions are aimed at consumers and offer additional features for a monthly fee. The company also announced plans to test professional subscriptions for creators and businesses, as well as AI-focused options for general users, all under the Meta One brand.Meta confirmed the launch to TechCrunch. These new subscriptions are separate from Meta Verified, the company’s existing paid service that provides verification, protection against impersonation, and extra support.Meta indicated that this may change over time but emphasized that Meta Verified is not being phased out at the…

Akinwumi Adesina** For the best experience, download the free Africa Private Equity News app Android | iOS **Akinwumi Adesina, former president of the African Development Bank Group, has been appointed as the chairperson of Botswana’s Diamonds for Development Fund.The Diamonds for Development Fund is being established by De Beers Group in consultation with the Government of Botswana. It will support the country’s emerging knowledge-based economy and accelerate its long-term economic diversification.Al Cook, CEO of De Beers Group, said: “When we set up the groundbreaking Diamonds for Development Fund with the Botswana Government, we knew that we would need an extraordinary…

The minister of defence, General Christopher Musa (Retd), said on Friday that the administration of President Bola Tinubu has scored between 65 and 70 per cent performance in tackling insecurity, terrorism and other national threats against the nation. Speaking on ARISE TV News on the occasion of Tinubu’s three years in office, Musa said terrorism has been drastically reduced to isolated soft-target incidents, such as kidnappings to gain relevance. The minister said, “We’ll give 65 to 70 per cent performance in the fight against terrorism and insecurity. Yes. 65 to 70%. No nation is totally free from crime and criminality.…

NAIROBI,Kenya,May 29-Kenya is betting on artificial intelligence and big data to reposition its tourism sector as a key driver of economic growth after entering a strategic partnership with Google Kenya to modernize destination marketing, tourism analytics, and visitor experiences. The collaboration between the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife and the technology giant signals a shift in how Kenya plans to compete for global travellers, as countries increasingly adopt digital tools and personalised marketing to attract high-spending tourists. Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano said the partnership is part of the Government’s broader plan to transform Kenya into Africa’s leading…

Trezor has integrated native stablecoin yield functionality into Trezor Suite, the hardware wallet provider’s desktop and mobile application, in a move that could make earning yield on stablecoins more accessible to users who have traditionally avoided decentralized finance due to its complexity and security risks.Announced on Thursday, the feature comes through an integration with Morpho, a decentralized lending protocol built on Ethereum. The integration allows users to deposit USDt (USDT) and USDC (USDC) into pre-selected Morpho vaults directly through Trezor Suite without connecting external wallets or using separate DeFi applications.According to Trezor, deposits, withdrawals and reward claims are signed directly…

Savant has opened applications for Cohort 4 of the Savant Build Programme, a funded accelerator supporting African deep-tech and hardware founders building scalable solutions for climate and green economy sectors. Applications close on 15 June 2026, with the three-month programme beginning in August 2026. Designed specifically for technical founders, the Build Programme combines venture-building support, engineering and commercial expertise, investor readiness, mentorship and strategic networks to help startups become investment-ready and positioned for scale. The 2026 cohort will focus primarily on startups developing solutions in climate-tech and the green economy, including decarbonisation, resource efficiency, sustainable energy, conservation, circular economy, water…

Remember way back, when Microsoft first announced that Windows 11 required something called TPM 2.0? I sure remember the collective outrage from the tech community. But not really because people felt particularly strongly about Trusted Platform Modules. That would be somewhat odd. It was more directed at Microsoft suddenly deciding that its new operating system needed this technology that no one had ever heard of, and the company’s explanation was, “You need this.” It wasn’t a great message, and it still isn’t brilliant now, because TPM is doing way more on your system than you really know — and it’s…