Financial Journalist & Digital Assets Analyst
Markesha Freeman
Markesha Freeman writes about cryptocurrency, digital finance, remittances and emerging fintech. Drawing on years of experience in cryptocurrency markets and peer-to-peer trading, her work examines how digital financial services are evolving and what these changes mean for consumers and businesses.
Articles by Markesha Freeman
34 articles
CryptoBitcoin Struggles Near $82,000 as US Inflation and ETF Outflows Weigh on Market
Bitcoin traded near $82,000 on October 18 after falling below $80,000, as US inflation data and withdrawals from spot Bitcoin ETFs pressured the market.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Did Bitfloor Close? The 2012 Bitcoin Theft and 2013 Shutdown
The 2012 Bitcoin theft, 2013 bank-related shutdown and later customer disputes unfolded at different times. US court records explain what is known.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Did Mt. Gox Close? Bitcoin Losses and Creditor Repayments
Mt. Gox closed in 2014. Its creditor repayments through Japanese civil rehabilitation continued, with a trustee deadline extended to October 2026.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Did Cryptsy Close? Missing Funds, Lawsuits and Customer Payments
Cryptsy's 2016 closure triggered civil recoveries of more than $1.5 million initially and $874,391.24 later. Here is what customers received and what remains unverified.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Did BTC-e Close? The 2017 Shutdown and Customer Funds
BTC-e closed after a July 2017 law-enforcement action. The case involved a $110 million FinCEN penalty and a later guilty plea; customer-recovery questions remain separate.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Did QuadrigaCX Close? Bankruptcy and Customer Claims
QuadrigaCX collapsed in 2019. The OSC staff review, the first bankruptcy dividend and EY’s 2026 address update explain what happened to customer claims.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Did Cryptopia Close? Hack, Liquidation and Customer Claims
Cryptopia's 2019 hack led to liquidation. Court rulings shaped customer ownership, distributions and claims, with late-claim questions continuing into 2026.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Did Einstein Exchange Close? Receivership and Customer Funds
Einstein Exchange entered receivership in 2019. Its director's 2026 settlement explains the misconduct, while customer withdrawal and claims questions remain.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Did FCoin Close? Reserve Shortfall and Customer Funds
FCoin disclosed a 7,000–13,000 BTC shortfall in February 2020. Its founder's explanation, later restart efforts and unresolved repayment questions explained.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Did TradeSatoshi Close? Deadline and Customer Funds
TradeSatoshi gave customers a short withdrawal window in February 2020. Its closure explanation, historical deadline and unresolved customer-fund questions.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Did FTX Collapse? Bankruptcy, Claims and Customer Payments
FTX's November 2022 collapse led to years of claims and distributions. What caused the failure, what the latest payout figures mean, and where customers stand.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Did Livecoin Close? The Reported Attack and Customer Claims
Livecoin closed in January 2021 after reporting an infrastructure attack. Its historical claims deadline and the limits of the current repayment record explained.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Did LocalCryptos Close? Trading Cutoffs and Wallet Access
LocalCryptos wound down its P2P marketplace in 2022. Its trading cutoffs, company explanations and non-custodial wallet backup arrangements explained.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Did Bitzlato Shut Down? Seizures and Customer Funds
Bitzlato’s takedown, its founder’s guilty plea, partial withdrawals and later French proceedings: what the record establishes about the exchange’s exit.
Markesha Freeman
NewsBittrex US Closure: Exit, Bankruptcy and Customer Claims
Why Bittrex left the US, how its 2023 bankruptcy changed customer withdrawals, and what the 2026 challenge to the SEC judgment does—and does not—establish.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Did Hotbit Close? Withdrawals and Compensation
Hotbit closed its centralized exchange in May 2023. Follow the original withdrawal deadline, later DF and HTB compensation plans and current evidence limits.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Did Txbit Close? Timeline and Withdrawal Deadline
Txbit ended trading in August 2023 and closed in September. Examine its stated reasons, historical withdrawal deadline and what remains unverified for customers.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Did Bittrex Global Close? Liquidation and Withdrawals
Bittrex Global stopped trading in December 2023. Follow its separate Liechtenstein and Bermuda liquidations, fees and latest verified customer arrangements.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Did LocalMonero and AgoraDesk Close? Timeline
Why LocalMonero and AgoraDesk closed, their 2024 wind-down and fund deadlines, plus verified September 2026 Monero transaction statistics.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Did DMM Bitcoin Close? Hack and SBI Transfer
Why DMM Bitcoin closed after the 4,502.9 BTC theft, how customer accounts moved to SBI VC Trade, and where former customers can find transfer records.
Markesha Freeman
NewsLykke Corp UK Closure: Hack, Liquidation and Claims
Lykke Corp UK’s liquidation timeline, the June 2024 crypto theft, and how former customers can find the official claims process and prepare supporting records.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Did Paxful Close? Timeline, Withdrawals and Fees
Why Paxful closed, the November 2025 shutdown timeline, U.S. enforcement actions, and what its withdrawal-only service and maintenance fees mean for users.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Did BitMEX Close? Timeline, Withdrawals and Fees
BitMEX stopped trading in September 2026. Explore its closure timeline, current withdrawal process, account fees and the records customers should retain.
Markesha Freeman
NewsFSB Flags Cross-Border Stablecoin Risks in New Report
A new FSB note examines cross-border stablecoin vulnerabilities in a roughly $300 billion market. Redemption, reserves and monitoring data are central concerns.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Did LocalBitcoins Close? What Bitcoin Buyers Should Know Today
LocalBitcoins ended Bitcoin trading in February 2023. Its closure notice and current guidance explain what old customers can still do—and what buyers should compare.
Markesha Freeman
NewsPolygon Completes Coinme Acquisition: What It Means for Crypto Payments
Polygon has completed its Coinme acquisition, adding reported payments coverage across 48 U.S. states. The deal links fiat access with stablecoin infrastructure.
Markesha Freeman
NewsSam Bankman-Fried’s Supreme Court Petition: Where the FTX Case Stands
The government has until 16 November to respond to Sam Bankman-Fried’s Supreme Court petition. New docket entries show outside briefs, but review has not been granted.
Markesha Freeman
NewsWhy Is Crypto Down Today? Bitcoin Tests $80,000 as Altcoins Slide
Bitcoin tested $80,000 as smaller tokens fell more sharply. U.S. inflation figures and leveraged liquidations help explain the 15 October market retreat.
Markesha Freeman
GuidesWhy M-Pesa Failed in South Africa — and Why PayShap Succeeded Where It Didn't
M-Pesa struggled to gain traction in South Africa, while PayShap has scaled rapidly. Here’s what the two payment models reveal about banking, interoperability and fintech market fit.
Markesha Freeman
GuidesPayShap vs Stablecoins: Which Actually Moves Money Faster in South Africa 2026?
PayShap can move ZAR between South African bank accounts in seconds. Stablecoins can settle quickly too. Here is where each payment rail actually wins
Markesha Freeman
PaymentsNigeria Built a Digital Currency. The Market Built a Better One
Nigeria launched Africa's first digital currency in 2021. Almost nobody uses it. Instead, ordinary Nigerians built a $92 billion stablecoin economy of their own — and now, just as the SEC moves to tighten the rules, the two are on a collision course.
Markesha Freeman
PaymentsKenya’s Crypto Startups Face a Race Against Time as KSh100 Million Exchange Rule Looms
Kenya’s new crypto rules set capital requirements as high as KSh300 million, putting startups under pressure ahead of the November 4, 2026 compliance deadline.
Markesha Freeman
PaymentsKenya's Crypto Market Is Open — But the Final 2026 Rules Could Reshape the Industry
Kenya's final 2026 VASP regulations are reshaping the country's crypto industry, introducing new licensing, capital, governance and compliance requirements for exchanges, wallets, payment processors and stablecoin issuers.
Markesha Freeman
CompanyWhat Happened to NoOnes? Lessons for Africa's Crypto Industry
NoOnes is winding down its P2P marketplace after more than 2.5 million users. Explore what happened, the latest African crypto market data, and key lessons for crypto platforms.
Markesha Freeman