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Bitcoin in Afghanistan: two entrepreneurs make the first crypto-transaction in the country

By Maria Santos

Last Updated: Jan 2, 2018

The Bitcoin entrepreneurs Adam Locklin and Robert Viglione, this last one from the website Coindesk, have made what it appears to be the first Bitcoin transaction in Afghanistan. At least, it’s the first one that was recorded. Viglione bought a Partagas cigar from Locklin for 0.1 BTC and that was it.

afghanistan-bitcoin-transaction-283x176
Photo: Coindesk

However, this simple trade was much more than just that. It helped both experts realize that Bitcoin needs a couple of things before evolving in remote parts of the developing world, exactly like Afghanistan. First of all, these countries need exchanges. The Afghans can love the idea of digital currency and be super excited everyone someone talks about it… But what can they do when they don’t have a proper tool to transfer, buy and sell Bitcoins?

Nations like Afghanistan definitely need a local crypto-presence, but with bad internet connections that can be a hard mission to complete.

And this leads us to the next requirement: a tool that allows Afghans, among others, to easily spend their Bitcoins. And for tool we mean a proper wallet that can connect with others. However, this problem might be really close to be tackled, since the new Bitcoin wallet from Kipochi – the one making a huge success in Africa – is integrating with the dominant cellular carrier in Afghanistan, Roshan.

Once this process is over, every Afghan Bitcoiner will have easy access to a proper wallet over a cellular network and the adoption rate of crypocurrency will certainly boost in this part of the world.

Via coindesk.com

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Crypto is a high-risk asset class. This article is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute investment advice. You could lose all of your capital.

Maria Santos
Maria Santos
Crypto Writer

Maria is an experienced journalist currently living in the UK. She has been writing about Bitcoin and the altcoin universe since 2013. She is also a member of the Lifeboat Foundation's New Money Systems Board and a big cryptocurrency supporter. Read More

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