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Bitcoin gains traction in West Africa with educational drive

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Bitcoin (BTC) adoption in West Africa is dominated by Nigeria, the crypto powerhouse and the region’s economic engine. But against a backdrop of anti-French sentiment, Bitcoin educational efforts are also bubbling away in French-speaking West Africa.

Senegal recently opened its first physical Bitcoin exchange and education center called Bitique, and the country of 17 million people will host another Bitcoin Forum in the capital, Dakar, in December, where pseudonymous local Bitcoin advocate, known as Nourou, runs an independent Bitcoin node beamed from space.

In Benin, a country of 13 million people to the west of Nigeria, the Bitcoin-only Bitcoin Mastermind conference takes place next month. The first of its kind in the country, Bitcoin Mastermind unites Bitcoin entrepreneurs and crypto enthusiasts from homegrown groups and businesses such as Izichange, GoesPay and Flash, and it offers locals a space to learn about Bitcoin.

Cointelegraph spoke with Nourou, the founder of Dakar Bitcoin Days and Bitcoin Senegal, and Loïc Kassamoto, the founder of Bitcoin Mastermind, to better understand the Bitcoin and West African crypto evolution — or revolution.

A rising tide lifts all boats

Countries in French-speaking West Africa are subjected to the West African CFA franc currency, described by the Economist as a “colonial hangover.” The Senegalese are vocal in their criticism of the currency, with some Bitcoin advocates, such as local crypto enthusiast and entrepreneur Mama Bitcoin, explaining that it’s pretty normal to complain about the currency — an implicit criticism of post-colonial French policy in the region.

Anti-French sentiment has historically existed in the region but has recently manifested in public demonstrations. Neighboring Mali recently dropped French as the nation’s official language — a law in place since the country won its independence in 1960.

In Niger, to the east of Mali and north of Nigeria, a recent military coup represented a significant setback for French President Emmanuel Macron and France’s military strategy in the region. Well-known French newspaper Le Monde commented that the coup was a “new heavy blow” for France’s military strategy in Niger’s Sahel region.

A groundswell of alternative currency initiatives is occurring across French-speaking West Africa. Growing numbers of Senegalese are turning to Bitcoin as a savings tool and a means of exchange, while in Benin, Bitcoin Mastermind’s Kassamoto told Cointelegraph the number of Beninois turning to Bitcoin is also on the up. 

Magazine: Bitcoin in Senegal: Why is this African country using BTC?

In the West, much financial discussion and education tends to take place online. However, the emphasis in West African countries is on physical meetups and real-life interaction. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Nourou said that discussions about Bitcoin and money were transferred and confined to online platforms such as ClubHouse and X (formerly Twitter), but more and more physical spaces have opened up post-pandemic.

Nourou opens Bitique in the Dakar business district. Source: Nourou

Indeed, as Kassamoto explains, one of the keys to unlocking deeper levels of financial education and demonstrating how West Africans could use a decentralized currency such as Bitcoin is through interactions in the real world:

“Bitcoin conferences, meetups and shops provide opportunities for education, outreach and direct interaction. Conferences and meetups bring the community together, share knowledge and exchange experiences.”

Norou opened Bitique, which is Dakar’s first physical Bitcoin store for buying and selling cryptocurrency. He explained that in addition to trading services, there will also be educational programs for people to learn about Bitcoin in person: “Training courses will be around 10,000 francs [$16] for two or even three hours of training.”

The in-person training goes hand in hand with a series of classroom sessions that Bitcoin Senegal conducts nationwide called the “Baol Digital Kids” program, which teaches kids how to use Bitcoin and the Lightning Network.

The kids in the video who received and sent their first satoshis via the layer-2 Lightning Network can spend the money at a growing number of merchants listed on the open-source Bitcoin tool BTCmap.org. In just 18 months, Dakar has developed from one small Bitcoin office to tens of artisans, restaurants and cafés accepting the cryptocurrency.

Nourou recently received a Blockstream Satellite kit, which, once set up, will allow him to run a Bitcoin node that will be protected against network interruptions. The internet service can sometimes be patchy and unreliable in West Africa. According to Blockstream, the satellite kit ensures that any connected Bitcoin full node “will not be isolated or partitioned,” with blocks streaming continuously for the node to verify.

Across a few borders in Benin, Kassamoto, along with his peers, runs what he believes to be one of Benin’s first Bitcoin nodes. 

He explains that Bitcoin adoption has increased, but it comes with risks due to its association with crypto:

“Bitcoin adoption in West Africa is greatly helped and hindered by cryptocurrencies.”

Kassamoto said that the money-making side of crypto attracts more and more people into the “crypto universe,” but crypto scams, loss and rug pulls taint Bitcoin’s appeal. The promise of crypto riches drawing noobies into Bitcoin is not necessarily good.

“It’s toxic for Bitcoin because these people are very quickly disappointed with their loss and associate it with Bitcoin because they haven’t even had time to understand the difference between the two,” he said.

Kassamoto said that “Bitcoin, not crypto,” is what the West African community should understand.

There are more Bitcoin meetups and, therefore, more opportunities to demonstrate what many Bitcoin exchanges and thought leaders have preached for some time: that there could be a difference between Bitcoin and the rest of the crypto market.

Related: Worldcoin cryptocurrency project suspended in Kenya

The Central African Republic, which made headlines in 2022 for adopting Bitcoin as legal tender, was elevated and then dropped by large swathes of the Bitcoin community. After adopting Bitcoin, it announced its own crypto token, Sango Coin, while the country is now experimenting with tokenizing real-world assets such as farmland.

In Ghana, to the east of Benin, another large Bitcoin and educational conference will occur this year. Strike CEO Jack Mallers and Human Rights Foundation chief strategy officer Alex Gladstein will speak as part of a Bitcoin educational drive in West Africa.

Cryptocurrency

Ripple (XRP) Price Predictions, Recent Cardano (ADA) Developments, and More: Bits Recap June 13

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TL;DR

  • ADA is down for the day, but essential developments, such as whale purchases and ecosystem progress, can have a positive impact on the price.
  • XRP trades near $2.14, with bullish targets ranging from $2.80 to $10, while Ripple’s case versus the US SEC nears resolution.
  • ETH fell back to around $2,500. Analysts remain cautiously bullish, noting that $2,380 is a crucial support zone.

What’s New Around ADA?

Cardano’s native token suffered the negative consequences of the geopolitical tension caused by the conflict between Israel and Iran, with its price plunging by over 7% in the last 24 hours and currently trading at around $0.63.

ADA Price
ADA Price, Source: CoinGecko

Some prominent analysts on X took notice of the decline, warning that a further plunge could be incoming. Nebraskangooner, for instance, claimed that “the head and shoulders” price pattern is “potentially breaking down,” suggesting this could lead to a correction below $0.50.

However, some important developments that took place earlier this week indicate that all hope isn’t lost for the bulls. On June 10, Ali Martinez revealed that Cardano whales (those holders having between 100 million and 1 billion tokens) bought 120 million ADA in the span of just 48 hours. Back then, the USD equivalent of the stash was approximately $85 million.

Another bullish factor is the development of the Cardano ecosystem. A few days ago, the project’s founder, Charles Hoskinson, announced Cardinalthe first Bitcoin DeFi protocol on Cardano, which allows people to use BTC for staking and lending on the platform, with no custody required. 

XRP’s Price Targets

Ripple’s cross-border token was also hit by the latest correction. It currently trades at roughly $2.14, representing a 5% decline on a daily scale.

XRP Price
XRP Price, Source: CoinGecko

X user CRYPTOWZRD noted that XRP’s performance is similar to other major altcoins, arguing that “anything is possible from this level.” 

The analyst said the main daily support target is $2, claiming a bullish reversal to the $2.80 resistance level isn’t completely out of the question. However, it will heavily depend on a breakout above the daily lower high trend line. 

Another industry participant who has recently touched upon the matter is the X user Cobb. Earlier this week, the analyst forecasted that XRP’s next leg “is going to be brutal,” suggesting the price could exceed a staggering $10 per coin. 

Meanwhile, it appears that Ripple and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are nearing an official resolution of their court dispute. Some experts, though, believe the eventual conclusion of the legal battle is unlikely to trigger any substantial volatility for XRP. 

How About ETH?

The price of the second-largest cryptocurrency surged to nearly $2,900 on June 11, marking the highest level since February. Currently, though, it is worth around $2,500, representing a 13% decline from the local top.

ETH Price
ETH Price, Source: CoinGecko

Despite the downtrend, multiple market observers remain optimistic that Ethereum (ETH) is poised to reach significant peaks, and “no war can stop it.”

The X user DevKhabib also chipped in, claiming that ETH “is still in a good area” despite the ongoing unfavorable conditions. The trader, though, expressed concerns about a potential plunge below $2,380, saying it has proven to be strong support for now. 

Earlier this week, Ali Martinez opined that investors should turn bullish only after a sustained close above $2,750. Failing that, he projected a potential drop toward $2,500 or possibly as low as $2,380.

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Trump Urges Iran to Sign Nuclear Deal Before ‘There’s Nothing Left:’ How Will BTC Price React?

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US President Donald Trump said he urged the Iranian authorities to sign the nuclear deal; otherwise, the situation might escalate.

BTC’s price has already experienced substantial volatility after the initial Israeli missile strikes against Iran, but has recovered some ground and now stands close to $105,000.

Trump said on his own social media platform that he “gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal. I told them, in the strongest words, to “just do it,” but no matter how hard they tried, no matter how close they got, they just couldn’t get it done.”

The POTUS blamed it on a certain “Iranian hardliner” who spoke “bravely,” but noted that all of the top military personnel are now dead. Consequently, Trump urged the nation’s leaders to sign the nuclear deal once again, or the situation could worsen.

“The United States makes the best and most lethal military equipment anywhere in the World, BY FAR, and that Israel has a lot of it, with much more to come – And they know how to use it.”

He warned that the next planned attacks will be even more brutal and Iran should make a deal before “there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire.”

Israel’s strike earlier this morning led to immediate price volatility across all financial sectors. While oil went up, the ever-volatile crypto market plunged, with BTC dumping below $103,000 for the first time since last Friday.

However, the asset has recovered some ground and now stands close to $105,000. Investors should be aware that more volatility is likely to follow if the tension between the US, Iran, and Israel further escalates.

BTCUSD. Source: TradingView
BTCUSD. Source: TradingView
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Crypto Price Analysis June-13: ETH, XRP, ADA, SOL, and HYPE

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This week, we examine Ethereum, Ripple, Cardano, Solana, and Hype in greater detail.

Ethereum (ETH)

Ethereum began the week on a strong footing by testing the $2,800 resistance following a 10% rally. However, this suddenly came to a stop in the past 24 hours after Israel bombed Iran. The geopolitical tension pushed the whole crypto market down, and ETH erased much of its recent gains, closing the week with a modest 1% gain.

The price briefly visited the $2,400 support during its recent drop and is hovering around $2,500 at the time of this post. Hopefully, buyers will defend this support level as a breakdown here could open the way to $2,000 next.

With the market on edge due to the geopolitical context, volatility could continue to be high. So far, ETH has made a higher low, and on Wednesday, it made a higher high. This supports a bullish bias as long as the key support holds.

ETHUSDT_2025-06-13_17-13-30
Chart by TradingView

Ripple (XRP)

XRP reversed on Monday and turned bearish when it was rejected at the $2.3 resistance. With sellers taking back control, the last four daily candles closed in red, which brought the price back to the $2 support. This is why XRP closed the week in red with a 1% loss.

While this is not too concerning, the support at $2 has to hold if this cryptocurrency hopes to make higher highs later. The current momentum is bearish, but due to the low volume, sellers don’t seem interested in doing much more at this time.

Looking ahead, this cryptocurrency remains stuck in a tight range with low volatility. This has been ongoing for months, and there has been no decisive breakthrough to date. This is likely to continue to suppress the price.

XRPUSDT_2025-06-13_17-14-17
Chart by TradingView

Cardano (ADA)

ADA tried to distance itself from the $0.64 support, but in the past three days, sellers brought it back to this key level, closing the week with a 2% loss.

Ит struggled throughout May and June, and it has not been much better to date. This supports a bearish bias with momentum favoring sellers at this time. The daily MACD also turned bearish today which could put in danger the current support.

Looking ahead, if Cardano can’t hold its price above $0.64, then it could revisit $0.5 in the near future. This is a level where buyers returned in the past. Hopefully, they do it again if the key support is lost.

ADAUSDT_2025-06-13_17-13-55
Chart by TradingView

Solana (SOL)

Solana gave market participants a brief excitement when its price moved above $152, which used to act as a resistance. However, that did not last, and in the past three days, sellers returned and pushed it under $150.

With a lower low confirmed, the downtrend for Solana is likely to continue. If so, the next major support levels will be found at $130 and $118. The momentum indicators, such as the daily MACD and RSI, also remain bearish at this time.

If nothing changes in the days to come, which is unlikely considering the wider market context, then SOL has a good chance to revisit $130. This is a level that could attract buyers and lead it into a relief bounce.

SOLUSDT_2025-06-13_17-15-04
Chart by TradingView

Hype (HYPE)

HYPE made waves in the past few months, and this week is no different. It made a new all-time high at $44 and closed this week with a 15% gain. This makes it the best performer on our list and across most of the market.

This achievement also got HYPE next to ADA in terms of market cap on sites such as CoinMarketCap. If this performance continues, HYPE is well placed to challenge ADA or even TRX and DOGE in the future.

Looking ahead, HYPE remains in a clear uptrend with key resistances at $41 and $44, at the time of this post. The support level is found at $38, and the price bounced on it during its most recent pullback. If the rally continues, then expect new record prices in the future.

HYPEUSDT_2025-06-13_17-19-59
Chart by TradingView
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Disclaimer: Information found on CryptoPotato is those of writers quoted. It does not represent the opinions of CryptoPotato on whether to buy, sell, or hold any investments. You are advised to conduct your own research before making any investment decisions. Use provided information at your own risk. See Disclaimer for more information.

Cryptocurrency charts by TradingView.

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