@ f1989a96:bcaaf2c1
2025-03-13 14:54:14
Good morning, readers!
In Iran, lawmakers impeached the economy minister, Abdolnaser Hemmati, following the Iranian rial’s rapid collapse, with the currency plunging to 1 million per dollar. The rial’s staggering decline has devastated Iranians’ purchasing power, fueling inflation and economic turmoil. With public frustration mounting, it’s no surprise that the regime is looking for scapegoats to take the fall for its catastrophic policies.
Meanwhile, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) reaffirmed its commitment to launch Eco, a common currency for the region, by 2027. Given the presence of the French CFA currency system across many of these nations, its implementation and implications remain unclear. But even if implemented, this system will be deployed and enforced by authoritarian regimes, such as those currently governing Togo and Nigeria, and will not be a tool of freedom for citizens.
In freedom tech news, MetaMask, a popular digital asset wallet, revealed its intention to add native Bitcoin support by the end of 2025. This will eliminate the need for intermediary tokens or a separate wallet, allowing activists and dissidents among its 30 million monthly users to self-custody Bitcoin more easily and expand access to financial freedom under authoritarian regimes.
We end with an article from OpenSats that explores key developments in privacy on Bitcoin. These include Coinswap, Silent Payments, and Payjoin — all innovations that make private transactions more accessible, strengthening Bitcoin’s use as a censorship-resistant tool for activists in difficult political and financial environments.
**Now, let’s get right to it!**
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## **GLOBAL NEWS**
#### **Iran | Economy Minister Impeached Amid Currency Crash**
Iran’s parliament [impeached](https://www.euronews.com/2025/03/02/economy-minister-fired-as-irans-rial-falls-to-nearly-one-million-to-the-us-dollar) Economy Minister Abdolnaser Hemmati as the rial plunges toward 1 million per dollar, decimating citizens’ purchasing power. In 2015, the rial stood at 32,000 per dollar; by July, when President Masoud Pezeshkian took office, it had fallen to 584,000. Now, it sits around 930,000 (with exchange shops in Tehran trading nearly 1 million rials for every dollar). Hemmati’s ousting comes just six months into Pezeshkian’s presidency amid accusations of economic mismanagement. While Pezeshkian defended him, blaming Western pressure, lawmakers accused Hemmati of deliberately devaluing the rial to paper over the regime’s mounting deficits, making him the latest scapegoat in a long list of “causes” of the state-inflicted hyperinflation. At the same time, the Iranian Bitcoin community continues to push forward. Two of its members interviewed HRF’s Alex Gladstein recently, a conversation you can listen to [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-nrreRWdPI).
#### **ECOWAS | Plans to Launch Common Currency by 2027**
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) [reaffirmed](https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/articles/cy9dxwl9w8ro) its plan to introduce a common currency, the Eco, by 2027. Many ECOWAS countries are still living under colonial-era CFA Franc system, which still grants France significant control over their monetary policies. On paper, the Eco promises greater regional autonomy. In reality, its impact remains uncertain. Political fractures already threaten its future; Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have [left](https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/articles/cy9dxwl9w8ro) ECOWAS to form their own alliance and potential currency. Even if implemented, the Eco would remain a system controlled by authoritarian regimes and subject to the same abuses and mismanagement that have plagued centralized currencies for decades. Amidst uncertainty in the region, Bitcoin adoption continues to rise.
#### **China | Policymakers Targeting Higher Inflation**
Chinese Communist Party policymakers are [openly](https://archive.ph/ecSDP) targeting higher inflation to (in their words) counter deflation and sustain economic growth. In doing so, they admit what’s often left unsaid: devaluing citizens’ money as a way to manage the country’s soaring debt. Deflation, Chinese policymakers’ greatest fear, would make the debt more expensive in real terms — an outcome Beijing simply can’t afford. But their options are dwindling. Interest rates are already near zero and fiscal expansion is constrained by federal debt. For ordinary Chinese, financial security remains at the mercy of an authoritarian regime prioritizing government stability over individual financial freedom. Good timing, then, that Mi Primer Bitcoin (a student handbook to learning about Bitcoin) is now available in Simplified Chinese [here](https://github.com/MyFirstBitcoin/Bitcoin-Diploma-2025/blob/ba908c2824d5a6342f7e348db5523b15be3472c5/Translations/Simplified%20Chinese%20-%20BD%202025.pdf).
#### **Sudan | War Driving Famine and Inflation**
Sudan’s ongoing civil war has [devastated](https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3300680/sudan-civil-war-famine-and-inflation-eclipse-ramadan) the economy, pushing millions into famine and deepening a humanitarian crisis. Nearly two years of conflict between the Sudanese army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have destroyed critical infrastructure, severed supply routes, and crippled local markets. Food prices have skyrocketed — sugar now costs 2,400 Sudanese pounds per kilo — while inflation has reached 145%. The Sudanese pound has collapsed on the parallel market and many public workers haven’t been paid in months. With no functioning banking system, no stable currency, and no safe way to protect what little they have, Sudanese citizens are left defenseless. Without urgent relief and long-term solutions, millions more risk falling into extreme poverty, starvation, and preventable death.
#### **Ghana | Set to Launch CBDC in 2025**
Ghana plans to [launch](https://innovation-village.com/ghana-set-to-launch-e-cedi/) its central bank’s digital currency (CBDC), the e-Cedi, in 2025, pending parliamentary approval. In a bid to learn from Nigeria’s struggling CBDC, Ghana’s version will support offline transactions to encourage adoption in rural areas with limited internet access. While Ghana is a democratic country, the e-Cedi raises alarming concerns about financial surveillance and state control. CBDCs allow governments to track every transaction, freeze funds without due process, and even impose expiration dates on money. With little public awareness of these risks, Ghana’s most vulnerable communities could be onboarded into a financial system that erodes privacy and restricts financial freedom. If widely adopted, the e-Cedi could mark a regional shift towards lesser financial autonomy for West African citizens.
#### **Morocco | Activist Sentenced to Six Months in Prison Over Facebook Post**
Moroccan authorities [sentenced](https://www.arabnews.com/node/2592321/middle-east) human rights activist Fouad Abdelmoumni to six months in prison for a Facebook post accusing the regime of spying on France. Authorities claimed his comments “spread false allegations” and “insulted public bodies,” effectively criminalizing speech critical of the state. His sentencing follows [accusations](https://www.arabnews.com/node/2592321/middle-east) that Morocco used Pegasus spyware to monitor prominent figures, including French President Emmanuel Macron, alongside journalists and activists. Pegasus can infiltrate mobile phones, extract data, and even activate cameras remotely. Now, Moroccan authorities are invoking the Penal Code to ensure harsher punishment for those exposing these abuses. Abdelmoumni’s case is yet another example of how authoritarian regimes manipulate the law to criminalize free speech and silence dissent.
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#### **Webinar Series for Nonprofits: Become Unstoppable**
HRF will host a [free, three-day webinar](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf0sjqwSFQo8HGMsWIIDRyhx34TsoonOSTfYoWSy-aaBbLeSw/viewform) from March 17–19, teaching human rights defenders and nonprofits how to use Bitcoin to counter state censorship and confiscation. Sessions run daily from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EDT and are beginner-friendly. The webinar will be led by Anna Chekhovich, HRF’s Bitcoin nonprofit adoption lead and financial manager at Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation.
[Register for webinar](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf0sjqwSFQo8HGMsWIIDRyhx34TsoonOSTfYoWSy-aaBbLeSw/viewform)
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## BITCOIN AND FREEDOM TECH NEWS
#### **MetaMask | Announces Native Bitcoin Support Coming This Year**
[MetaMask](https://metamask.io/), a popular cryptocurrency wallet, will [add](https://metamask.io/news/metamask-roadmap-2025) native Bitcoin support in Q3 2025. Currently, users can only access Bitcoin via Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC), an Ethereum-compatible token representing a claim to Bitcoin. Native support will remove the need for intermediary tokens or separate wallets, allowing Metamask’s reported 30 million monthly active users to interact with Bitcoin directly. For activists and dissidents in authoritarian regimes, this is yet another way to access a financial system that operates beyond regime control.
#### **Bitcoin Mining | Solo Miner Defies Odds and Finds Block**
A solo Bitcoin miner has done the nearly impossible — [mining](https://x.com/ckpooldev/status/1899210241721663637) a new Bitcoin block ([887,212](https://mempool.space/block/000000000000000000006414aea39be567cf1d5ff6cbf2d77254fe7c714b0d81)) using a small, open-source mining device called a [Bitaxe](https://bitaxe.org/) via [Solo CKPool](https://solo.ckpool.org/). Using just a tiny fraction of the power compared to larger miners, this miner had less than a 1 in a million chance of finding a block per day (statistically, it would take about [3,500](https://x.com/ckpooldev/status/1899211027943915691) years for a miner of this size to find a block). Yet, against all odds, they earned the 3.125 BTC block reward. Devices like Bitaxe ensure that even those under authoritarian regimes can contribute to securing the network and potentially earn Bitcoin in return. Events like this highlight how Bitcoin remains decentralized and accessible to individuals worldwide, enabling them to participate in a global, permissionless monetary system.
#### **Hashpool | Mining Pool for Solo Bitcoin Miners**
Bitcoin mining has become increasingly dominated by large, corporate mining pools, making it harder for small-scale miners to compete and raising concerns of censorship (especially when those pools are controlled by Chinese entities). [Hashpool](https://hashpool.dev/articles/what-is-hashpool/) is a new, privacy-focused mining pool that addresses this imbalance by using ecash — a Bitcoin-backed, cheap, and private token — for payouts. Hashpool enables instant payouts (via ecash) with no accounts and no minimum withdrawal limits, preserving miners’ financial privacy. By empowering individuals to mine without intermediaries, Hashpool helps Bitcoin’s decentralization and censorship resistance.
#### **Flash Wallet | New Permissionless Bitcoin Lightning Wallet**
[Flash Wallet](https://paywithflash.com/wallet/), a new Bitcoin Lightning Wallet, [launched](https://x.com/CierrePorbin/status/1895167418336714776) its beta version, offering businesses and individuals worldwide a permissionless, non-custodial way to accept and receive Bitcoin payments without giving up personal information to authorities. Flash Wallet helps protect against financial surveillance, censorship, and confiscation. It incorporates both Lightning and Liquid for greater transaction flexibility; for now, payments are limited to a minimum of 1,000 satoshis. Future updates will introduce offline transaction capabilities, allowing users to send bitcoin even without an internet connection — critical for activists in regimes where dictators shut down the internet to silence dissent. You can learn more about the wallet [here](https://lightning.news/flash-wallet-beta-is-here/).
#### **Phoenix Wallet | Implements Size Reduction and Improved QR Scanning**
Everyday payments are growing on Bitcoin, but there is always room for improvement. Phoenix Wallet, an open-source mobile Bitcoin wallet for Lightning transactions, [released](https://www.nobsbitcoin.com/phoenix-wallet-v2-5-0/) an update that makes everyday payments more practical. For starters, it reduces the app size by 78%, reducing storage requirements and improving accessibility. Additionally, Phoenix improved QR code scanning on Android, making transactions faster and easier. These updates help make Bitcoin payments more seamless and accessible, particularly for human rights defenders and everyday users navigating financial challenges.
#### **CheatCode | Upcoming Bitcoin and Freedom Tech Event**
Bitcoin enthusiasts and human rights activists will gather in Bedford, England, from April 11 to 13 for [CheatCode](https://www.cheatcode.co.uk/), a conference organized by entrepreneur and journalist [Peter McCormack](https://x.com/PeterMcCormack). This year’s event will feature multiple human rights panels hosted by HRF. Panelists include Roya Mahboob, founder of the [Digital Citizen Fund](https://digitalcitizenfund.format.com/), Carine Kanimba, leader at the [World Liberty Congress](https://worldlibertycongress.org/), and Hadiya Masieh, founder of the [Groundswell Project](https://www.groundswellproject.org/): all women assisting individuals inside authoritarian regimes. The event offers an inspiring lineup of discussions on Bitcoin’s role in financial freedom and human rights. To buy tickets or learn more, [click here](https://www.cheatcode.co.uk/).
## RECOMMENDED CONTENT
#### **The Potential of Bitcoin Digital Currency with Win Ko Ko Aung**
In an [interview](https://burmese.voanews.com/a/burma-democracy-forum-bitcoin-digital-currency-us-government/7968546.html) with [Voice of America](https://www.voanews.com/), HRF’s Global Bitcoin Adoption Fellow [Win Ko Ko Aung](https://x.com/wkkaung?lang=en) explains how Bitcoin serves as a financial lifeline for those living under oppressive regimes. Drawing from his experience living under Burma’s military junta, Aung explains how activists and human rights defenders use Bitcoin to bypass financial restrictions from authoritarian governments and preserve their financial autonomy. You can watch the interview [here](https://burmese.voanews.com/a/burma-democracy-forum-bitcoin-digital-currency-us-government/7968546.html).
#### **Advancements in On-Chain Privacy by OpenSats**
[OpenSats](http://opensats.org), a public nonprofit supporting open-source projects and software, [explores](https://opensats.org/blog/developing-advancements-in-onchain-privacy) key developments in privacy on Bitcoin. It highlights: Asynchronous Payjoin (which increases transaction privacy by disrupting surveillance heuristics), Coinswap (a protocol that obscures Bitcoin ownership); and Silent Payments (which allows users to receive Bitcoin to a static address without revealing their identity). These innovations make private transactions more accessible, strengthening Bitcoin’s use as a censorship-resistant tool for activists in high-risk environments. [Learn](https://opensats.org/blog/developing-advancements-in-onchain-privacy) how OpenSats supports these critical privacy solutions.
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