The number of countries that are taking a friendly approach to crypto is growing. Just days after El Salvador announced that it was making Bitcoin legal tender, Tunisia has stated that it would decriminalize Bitcoin.
Reports linked to the country’s economy minister, Ali Kooli, indicate that the government is on a path to decriminalizing the buying and selling of Bitcoin. Kooli said that the move towards decriminalization was to avoid a situation where young people were being sent to prison simply for buying Bitcoin.
The remarks were triggered by news that a 17-year-old boy had been arrested by law enforcement simply for having cryptocurrencies. The teenager was put behind bars on allegations that he was involved in money laundering.
This move saw the government come under strong criticism from crypto enthusiasts within the country. The criticism was so strong that a social media campaign was launched to slam the government for this move.
Besides the remarks by the country’s economy minister, the country’s Central Bank also seems to be taking a more pro-crypto stand.
Last year, the country’s Central Bank Governor Marouane Abbasi stated that the government needed to be more proactive and have clear regulations and crypto monitoring procedures.
Tunisia now joins a growing number of African countries that are increasingly pro-cryptocurrencies. Recently, a high-ranking official within the Nigerian Central Bank stated that the country could pilot a digital naira by the end of the year. He said that this could help make foreign remittances more efficient.
