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EU-Wide Bitcoin Ban Proposed by Central Banker

Fri, 02/11/2022 - 13:57
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Alex Dovbnya
The EU should impose a blanket ban on cryptocurrencies, says the governor of Hungary's central bank
EU-Wide Bitcoin Ban Proposed by Central Banker
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György Matolcsy, head of Hungary's central bank, has proposed imposing a blanket ban on cryptocurrency mining and trading in the European Union. 

At the same time, he claims that regulators should track the offshore cryptocurrency holdings of EU citizens and companies.   

Matolcsy likens cryptocurrencies to financial pyramids while pointing to the fact that they tend to be associated with illegal activities: 

It is clear-cut that cryptocurrencies could service illegal activities and tend to build up financial pyramids.

In his statement, the central banker notes that China prohibited all cryptocurrency-related activities in September. 

Russia's central bank also proposed banning crypto in late January, but it then reportedly backpedaled on the plan after reaching an agreement with the government.   

Last month, Erik Thedeen, vice chair of the Board of Supervisors of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), called for banning Bitcoin mining in the EU due to the adverse environmental impact of the proof-of-work algorithm. 

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About the author

Alex Dovbnya (aka AlexMorris) is a cryptocurrency expert, trader and journalist with extensive experience of covering everything related to the burgeoning industry — from price analysis to Blockchain disruption. Alex authored more than 1,000 stories for U.Today, CryptoComes and other fintech media outlets. He’s particularly interested in regulatory trends around the globe that are shaping the future of digital assets, can be contacted at alex.dovbnya@u.today.