Emerging markets continue to forge their way into the crypto scene finding a plethora of use cases, especially in the combined Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. A new report from Chainalysis reveals that the crypto market in the MENA region is the fastest growing in the world. Transaction volume in the MENA region reveals users received $566 billion in crypto in the time frame of July 2021 to June 2022. This is 48% more than the previous year. MENA is followed by Latin America and North America with a growth of 40% and 36% respectively. This region is …

A popular adage says that the path to success is not a straight line. Sometimes, it leads to various detours along the way, like learning about developing aircraft, being a writer, keeping an eye on Bitcoin (BTC), and exploring the blockchain space. In a Cointelegraph interview, Ahmet Usta shared his journey from being fascinated by technology since he was a child to becoming the founder of several successful Web3 projects focusing on blockchain gaming and nonfungible tokens (NFTs). Usta studied aerospace engineering at Istanbul Technical University in Turkey mainly because of his passion for technology. After that, he pursued a …

The saga of the defunct Turkish crypto exchange, Thodex, continues as its fugitive founder is now in custody in Albania. Local law enforcement detained Faruk Fatih Özer in an operation carried out at 05:30 AM (UTC) on Tuesday, Aug. 30, in the country’s capital city Tirana. According to a report byCointelegraph Turkey, Özer is currently held in custody. After initial questioning, the Turkish embassy in Tirana will be informed by local authorities. Both the Turkish Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Albanian government are working together on the case. Özer will be subject to legal proceedings in Albania, after which …

While the entertainment and production industry is still primarily dominated by the West, shows like the Squid Game demonstrate an opportunity for non-Western productions to take flight on the international scene. With some help from Web3, creators in developing markets can find their way to a bigger stage, according to an expert in the entertainment industry. In a Cointelegraph interview, Mehmet Eryılmaz, the CEO of the entertainment-focused Web3 team Faro Company, shared his thoughts on how Web3 can contribute to the development of entertainment in emerging countries. According to the executive, media and entertainment companies have been plagued by gatekeepers, …

Binance TR, the Turkish arm of crypto exchange Binance, has warned investors in the region of an ongoing scam attempt that targets crypto investors via fake Binance-branded billboards and hoardings. Turkey is home to a large number of crypto investors that account for over 7% of the total traffic to Binance’s primary platform through a desktop browser, as evidenced by data from Similarweb. Trying to cash in on Binance’s popularity in the country, scammers in Turkey have been found to rent numerous billboards to advertise fake Binance-themed opportunities. Bir süredir Türkiye’nin farklı bölgelerinde aşağıdaki görsele benzer reklam panoları göze çarpmaktadır. …

Turkey is experiencing a resurgence in cryptocurrency interest as major crypto exchanges set foot in the transcontinental country. From demographics to offline marketing to currency depreciation, there is plenty of motivation for the 84 million Turkish people to sign up to the new exchanges. Bitfinex, among the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, recently announced its plans to expand into Turkey (see tweet). Coinbase reportedly set its sights on acquiring local exchange BtcTurk, while Binance is launching its first customer service center. Dünyanın önde gelen dijital varlık alım satım platformu Bitfinex çok yakında Türkiye'de. pic.twitter.com/bReVOyg1gU — Bitfinex TR (@BitfinexTR) April 24, 2022 …

Major United States-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase is reportedly planning to purchase BtcTurk for $3.2 billion. According to Turkish tech media outlet Webrazzi, which cited a Thursday report from Mergermarket, the two exchanges negotiated a price based on the market behavior of the Turkish lira and Bitcoin (BTC), arriving at roughly $3.2 billion. One or both of the two firms have reportedly already signed a term sheet. The potential acquisition would follow Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong announcing plans to expand to every country in which the exchange can legally operate. Cointelegraph reported in March that Coinbase was preparing to purchase 2TM, …

Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by volume, announced the launch of its customer service center, Cointelegraph Turkey reported. Binance picked Turkey, where it established a local entity roughly two years ago, as the pilot country for its new service. A possible reason for Binance to pick Turkey is the high volume of traffic the exchange is getting from the country. Similarweb data shows that Turkey accounts for over 7% of the desktop browser access to Binance's primary platform. Binance will provide its Turkish customers with 24/7 customer care support through its app, according to an announcement shared with Cointelegraph …

Even though female investors are increasingly interested in cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, there is still a significant knowledge gap when it comes to these topics, a new study reveals. BlockFi noted that a third-party survey panel conducted the study on Jan. 28, 2022, and included 1,031 female-identifying Americans between the ages of 18 and 65. According to a recent study by BlockFi focused on the shifting attitudes toward cryptocurrency, 92% of the women surveyed have heard about crypto, with almost one in four (24%) already owning some. In contrast, 80% still find it difficult to understand, and 72% believe investing …

Turkish blockchain provider Bitci seeks to establish local crypto exchanges in Brazil and Spain in a bid to lure local crypto investors. A Bitci spokesperson told Cointelegraph that Bitci is planning to open new crypto exchanges in the countries where the company has sizeable deals and assets, as Reuters reported. The first stop for Bitci’s international expansion, also a first for Turkish crypto exchanges in general, is Brazil. Bitci CEO Onur Altan Tan said in an interview that the Turkish blockchain provider aims to open its first exchange outside of Turkey in February in Brazil. Spain would see the second …

Blockchain can’t be separated from crypto in a progressive manner because extracting blockchain from crypto diminishes the former to a glorified database, leaving all the exciting opportunities out, Turkish law expert Elçin Karatay told Cointelegraph. As a country that saw Bitcoin (BTC) hit an all-time high on a very different date than the rest of the world, Turkey’s efforts on establishing a regulatory framework while the population flocks to cryptocurrencies as a way to hedge against double-digit inflation can help understanding how to manage crypto regulation in unstable economies. Following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s confirmation that a crypto law …

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and ruling Ak Party officials met earlier this week to discuss the metaverse, with the president calling for comprehensive research on the subject. Erdoğan has reportedly urged the Ak Party to study the metaverse, cryptocurrencies, and how transactions are made using them, according to a Daily Sabah report. At a meeting on Jan. 25, party leaders were instructed to research the phenomenon with significant ramifications for the future. The economic aspects of the metaverse, cryptocurrencies, and social media are anticipated to be addressed at a forum that will be subsequently be organized by the ruling …