Bitcoin Demand Surges in Lebanon

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 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.