Bitcoin could break the internet, Central Bank overseer says

Malaysian police have hit on a novel way to dispose of more than 1,000 bitcoin-mining machines seized in raids -- crushing the devices using a steamroller. Authorities on Borneo island discovered the machines, worth an estimated 5.3 million ringgit ($1.25 million), in crackdowns between February and April, and say they were powered using stolen electricity.

Twitter founder Jack Dorsey has claimed that Bitcoin will "unite the world".

El Salvador has become the first country in the world to make Bitcoin legal tender, despite surveys showing widespread scepticism about the move. The government has invested more than $20 million in the cryptocurrency in recent days, saying it will open up access to banking for many Salvadorans. Bitcoin will be accepted for payments in parallel with the US dollar. Also today, millions of Americans have lost their unemployment benefits as several pandemic-era welfare programmes have expired.

The value of Bitcoin has plunged by more than 10 percent after El Salvador on Tuesday became the first country in the world to accept the cryptocurrency as legal tender. The launch was marred by protests and technical difficulties with the digital wallet app, which had to be taken offline for several hours. Also today, we report on tourism businesses in the southwest of France that have benefitted from the recent spell of good weather, which has prolonged their summer season.

El Salvador has become the first country in the world to adopt bitcoin as legal tender. The government says the cryptocurrency will save people money, but many residents are skeptical.

On 7 September 2021, El Salvador became the first country to embrace bitcoin as legal tender. Consumer demand saw its brand-new cyber wallet system crash on its first day of use as the currency's value seesawed against the US dollar. While thousands of Salvadorans are already using the cryptocurrency for everyday transactions, hundreds have taken to the streets to protest with concerns about the safety and legitimacy of the cyber currency.

In the first edition of our new fact-checking show Truth or Fake, we focus on Afghanistan. A photo purportedly showing the new Afghan central bank chief has gone viral on social media; we show you how our Observers team debunked the image. Meanwhile, we demonstrate how widely shared images of alleged recent violence in Afghanistan's Panjshir Valley, attributed to the Taliban, actually come from a 2018 film.

Thousands of Salvadorans march in San Salvador against the use of bitcoin in the economy and against a decree that ordered the dismissal of a third of the nation’s judges.

In the quiet Texas town of Rockdale, North America's largest bitcoin mine is part of an already bustling US business now boosted by Beijing's intensified crypto crackdown that has pushed the industry west.

The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has voted unanimously to retain the benchmark interest rate (MPR) at 11.5%, whilst keeping all other monetary parameters constant.

In October, the Central Bank of Nigeria launched the hugely-anticipated eNaira, joining the small league of countries to own their digital currency. But it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the currency that, according to the CBN, offers more possibilities. What do you think about the eNaira? How would you describe your experience with the eNaira app?

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Saturday.⁣