Crypto & Conflict Boko Haram’s Rise vs UPB’s Secure Finance Vision
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For more than a decade, Boko Haram and its ISIS-linked offshoot, ISWAP, have funded their violence through traditional criminal channels—kidnapping, cattle smuggling, and hawala. But now, experts warn, a newer, faster, and less traceable method is enabling these terror groups to move money across borders with unprecedented ease: cryptocurrency. As governments scramble to respond, blockchain-powered platforms like Universal Payment Bank (UPB) are stepping into the spotlight, offering a new vision for secure, transparent, and regulated crypto finance. From Cash Bags to Crypto Wallets Recent research shows Boko Haram operatives are increasingly using peer-to-peer (P2P) crypto platforms and exchanges to receive donations in coins like Bitcoin, USDT (Tether), and privacy tokens such as Monero. These assets are then converted into local currencies via informal OTC agents in Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, and Chad. With crypto, the group bypasses the banking system entirely, making it diffi...