Demand for bitcoin is jumping in Lebanon after the country is facing one the worst financial crisis since the 1975-90 civil war. According to Saida Online (a popular Lebanese news portal), many Lebanese have investors also considered BTC as a store of value and a hedge against the aggressive expansionary monetary policies adopted by the central bank of Lebanon.

Protests that have swept Lebanon since Oct. 17 have added to pressures in the financial system, deepening a hard currency crunch that has left many importers unable to bring in goods, forced up prices and increased fears of financial collapse. The protests, fueled by rage against a ruling class seen as looting Lebanon, have slowed an already weak economy. Many businesses have shed jobs or slashed salaries and moved workers onto part time.

The crisis has shaken confidence in a banking system that has been a cornerstone of Lebanon’s post-war stability. Several Lebanese banks have imposed new caps on interest rates on deposits and pay savers half the interest due on foreign currency holdings in Lebanese pounds.

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are not fully legalized in Lebanon, yet many investors in Lebanon are currently trading bitcoin through Whatsapp and Telegram groups.

Roger Ver, founder of bitcoin.com, who’s known as “Bitcoin Jesus,” joins CNBC’s “Power Lunch” team to talk about the cryptocurrency markets, the price of Bitcoin and more.

During a blockchain conference that was held last week on Rabat, the Moroccan Central Bank’s president Abdel Latif El-Gawahry said he is doubtful that cryptocurrencies can ever become the future of money and trading Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is a high risk.

According to the Moroccan news media “Hespress”, during the event, El- Gawahry also expressed doubt that cryptocurrencies could ever become the future of money. He said that Bitcoin lacks the characteristics of a real currency:

El-Gawahry said that despite the fact that he is against Bitcoin, he believes that blockchain technology has changed the way that banks and financial institutions operate today. He also added that he thinks that the blockchain revolution has arrived, and we believe it has the potential to impact the world just as much as the internet has since the 1990’s.

El-Gawahr aslso mentioned that Morocco, in the near future will be improving the local finacial services by applying new technologies such as blockchain.