Author: Akin Naphtal

The administrators of the largest illegal marketplace on the darknet for stolen credit cards are retiring after making an estimated $358m (£260m). The anonymous owners of UniCC thanked the criminal fraternity for their business, citing age and health for the closure. Many other illegal darknet marketplaces have also shut down voluntarily over the winter for unknown reasons. Police say the trend leaves them with mixed feelings. The darknet is a part of the internet only accessible through special browsing software. ‘We are not young’ Cryptocurrency experts at analysts Elliptic traced hundreds of millions of dollars in crypto-payments made to UniCC.…

Pan-African fintech startup and digital bank Carbon Bank has partnered with Network International,the leading enabler of digital commerce across Africa and the Middle East, as part of its plan to boost its digital payment offering. Under the agreement, Network International will issue and process physical Visa debit cards on behalf of Carbon, enhancing the bank’s offering to customers. True to Carbon’s mission of empowering all people with the financial access they need to pursue a life of dignity and prosperity, the collaboration will support financial inclusion among the unbanked and underbanked in Nigeria. In addition to payment services, Carbon also…

Nigerian fintech startup Sparkle, a digital ecosystem providing financial, lifestyle, and business support services, has partnered with Network International, to power its recently launched payment card offering. This is coming months after collaborating with Visa to enable them to issue Visa cards to its users. Founded by former Diamond Bank chief executive officer (CEO) and tech entrepreneur, Uzoma Dozie with the aim of providing seamless solutions to Nigerian individuals, SMEs, and retailers. Sparkle’s new virtual and plastic debit cards are targeted at SMEs and upwardly mobile, unbanked consumers across Nigeria, bringing them the convenience, flexibility, safety, and security of cashless…