Tag: Cryptocurrencies

  • Is bitcoin banned in Nepal?

    Is bitcoin banned in Nepal?


    Ban of Transaction of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in Nepal.

    The central bank of NepalNepal Rastra Bank (“NRB”) published a notice pursuant to Nepal Rastra Bank Act 2001 (“NRB Act”) and Foreign Exchange (Regulation) Act 1962 (“FERA”) prohibiting the usage of Bitcoin in Nepal. NRB has not recognized Bitcoins as a valid currency in Nepal.

    A few highlights on the ban:

    1. Laws of Nepal: The Nepal Rastra Bank, Nepal’s central bank, highlighted two laws in its statement banning Bitcoin and its transactions: the foreign exchange statute of 2019 BS and the Nepal Rastra Bank Act of 2058 BS. It basically means that you can’t do bitcoin transactions or use bitcoin to swap foreign or Nepali currency in Nepal because bitcoin isn’t classified as a currency by the Nepali government, therefore utilizing the internet for bitcoin transactions or exchange is unlawful.
    2. Lack of regulations: NRB and Nepal govt is unable to have proper regulation over bitcoin transactions, as it’s mostly done over internet and Nepal doesn’t yet have the technology needed to regulate it, and hence it may be banned.
    3. Use in illegal activities: Reports of bitcoin being used for money laundering or making black money into white by converting into Bitcoin, among other cases is another reason.
    4. Damage to Nepali economy: Bitcoin transactions unlike other banking transactions can’t be taxed, so there will be loss of revenue, plus if more Nepalis use bitcoins, the monetary system of Nepal may be affected, Bitcoin is also a very volatile currency with lots of ups and downs and long term it can cause severe problems. NRB is tasked with maintaining the financial stability of Nepal and maybe it felt, bitcoin was a threat.

    These are only a few of the reasons, in my opinion, why bitcoin is prohibited in Nepal. The existing Nepali laws prohibit it, and the central bank believes that bitcoin cannot be effectively regulated, that it can be used for unlawful purposes, and that it will harm the Nepali economy in the long run. The Nepalese government has recently taken tough measures against bitcoin transactions, including arresting people who were mining bitcoin or had large amounts of bitcoin, shutting down Nepal’s largest bitcoin exchange operator Bitsewa and arresting its owners, and even arresting a Nepali politician from a minor party for bitcoin trading.

  • Is cryptocurrency legal in Nepal?

    Is cryptocurrency legal in Nepal?


    So far, cryptocurrencies are illegal in a few countries, whereas the rest of the world either sees it as fitting to utilise these ‘monies’, or keeps them in a grey area of financial law. Similarly, though most countries in the world do not criminalise cryptocurrencies, they have yet to define their usage as monies or commodities, thus making varied classifications all over the world.

    Is cryptocurrency legal in Nepal? 3

    Nepal Rastra Bank has already made it clear in its notice dated August 13, 2017, that all transactions related to or regarding Bitcoins are illegal. But it allied Bitcoins to “Foreign Exchanges”, though cryptocurrencies have no foreign central authority to regulate them. This is where the confusion is. Bitcoin is a decentralised digital currency that is traded from one individual to the other, not through banks. It has no issuing or regulating country, and these bitcoins are converted into US dollars simply because dollars are used as an international exchange rate.

  • Cryptocurrency prices are rising, with Ripple rising by 18%.

    Cryptocurrency prices are rising, with Ripple rising by 18%.


    Since Tuesday morning, the cryptocurrency market, which had been dropping for more than two weeks, has started rising. As a result, the values of the market’s leading cryptocurrencies have surged dramatically in the last 24 hours.

    According to Crypto.com, the price of Bitcoin has gained 8.24 percent in the previous 24 hours to USD 37,304, while Ethereum is trading at $2,707. In the last 24 hours, Ethereum alone has increased by 16.60 percent.

    Cardano rose 12.74 percent to 1.76, Binance Coin rose 15.02 percent to 358, Ripple rose 19.36 percent to 1.07, and Polkadot rose 18.44 percent to 23.11.

    Cryptocurrency is banned in Nepal, despite being recognized as a digital money in Europe, the United States, China, and India. However, in the lack of a cryptocurrency regulation in Nepal, the Nepal Rastra Bank has published a statement stating that only Bitcoin transactions are prohibited.