Dollar crashes against Naira on Binance as Cardoso warning rattles crypto traders

As of 8 am on Wednesday, the dollar traded for as high as N1,415/$1 from as low as N1606/$1 within 24 hours. At the time of writing this story, the exchange rate was trading at N1,458/$1.

Some traders also quoted above N1500/$1 as trading ramped up.

At the MPC meeting media briefing held on Tuesday CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, the apex bank governor pointed out the activities of cryptocurrency traders as one they were addressing.

According to him, the central bank was working with other agencies of the government such as the EFCC, the Police, and the office of the NSA to address the issue stating that in due course they will have more information to share.

He also stated that a staggering t $26 billion has passed through Binance Nigeria in trades related to cryptocurrency transactions.

Cardoso also stated that they are “determined” to do anything it takes to take charge of their market and not allow others to “manipulate our market in a way that ends up distortionary and sub-optimizes for all Nigerians”, which he said will not be accepted.

Central Bank officials had fingered the Binance Platform as a major tool for speculating against the naira and promised to clamp down on its usage.

The company also distances itself from the forex debacle in Nigeria saying its platform is “market-driven and not intended to be a proxy for currency pricing in Nigeria.”