Taliban Ban Crypto in Afghanistan, Arrest Dealers of Tokens
- Militant group sees digital tokens like Bitcoin as fraudulent
- Crackdown focused on Afghanistan’s third largest city, Herat
Crypto has become a popular way of moving money in and out of Afghanistan.
Photographer: Wakil Kohsar/AFP/Getty Images
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Afghanistan’s central bank imposed a nationwide ban on cryptocurrencies this month and the Taliban regime has arrested several dealers who defied orders to stop trading digital tokens, according to a senior police official.
The crackdown comes after some Afghans turned to cryptocurrencies to preserve their wealth and keep it out of the Taliban’s reach. Crypto has become a popular way of moving money in and out of the country, which is shut off from the global banking system due to sanctions leveled on the militant group.