A look at how a Zimbabwean cryptocurrency exchange functioned during the recent military action against President Robert Mugabe may offer clues about how such markets will operate during future crises.
As most of the world focuses on the political impact of Zimbabwe's coup, a select group of analysts and technology watchers are scrutinizing the effects of the government upset on cryptocurrencies in developing nations. Directly after the Zimbabwean military took control of Harare and placed President Robert Mugabe under house arrest, the price of bitcoin on Zimbabwe's sole exchange surged as demand for the currency spiked. The dynamic shows the value of cryptocurrencies in times of extreme political instability and portends a change in how Africa's elites protect and move their assets, which could have myriad implications for the region's economy.
