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Re:Cryptocurrency is something people tell lies about in hop... by mywittyname on Friday September 24, 2021 @11:25AM (#28643704)
It does seem to be used by people transferring funds internationally, especially from SEA to the USA.
Re:Cryptocurrency is something people tell lies about in hop... by wpietri on Friday September 24, 2021 @11:35AM (#28643835)
Oh? What percent of international transfers are using it?
Re:Cryptocurrency is something people tell lies about in hop... by mywittyname on Friday September 24, 2021 @12:00PM (#28644186)
No clue. I just know people who do it.
Re:Cryptocurrency is something people tell lies about in hop... by wpietri on Friday September 24, 2021 @12:59PM (#28645011)
Got it. I mean, I know people who ride unicycles. But for this I'm not interesting so much in "is it possible" as "is it effective and widely adopted".
Re:Cryptocurrency is something people tell lies about in hop... by mywittyname on Friday September 24, 2021 @02:17PM (#28645977)
Agree, anecdotes aren't data. But seeing non-tech-savvy people doing it definitely makes me think it's somewhat common. I posted half with the expectation that someone would chime in with some personal experience on the topic; HN has a pretty diverse group here.

I found a number of guides on the pros and cons of various international money transfers options, and BTC is often included as an option. I also found some recent (and old!) articles about its use as a remittance system in poorer areas of the world[1].

> Other emerging market central banks in Latin America, India, and Southeast Asia, where remittances make up a significant share of the economy, are in a similar bind. Bitcoin transfers surged in emerging markets last year, as the pandemic accelerated the rise of cheaper, more efficient digital remittance services.

[1]https://qz.com/africa/1983610/bitcoin-draws-millions-of-work...