Several cryptocurrency activists consider the cutoff of fiber-optic internet a serious threat to the future of banking and the digital economy. They believe these restrictions increase poverty and unemployment and create conditions for migration and capital flight. They also emphasize that following the implementation of this ban, their income has dropped by up to 50 percent.
Some cryptocurrency activists, expressing concern, say that limited internet access has become a major challenge for them, and their earnings have decreased by up to 50 percent. They note that in a context where poverty and unemployment are spreading and there is no escape, these restrictions have made their lives even more constrained and suffocating.
Soroush Afghan, a cryptocurrency activist, voiced his concern that without high-speed internet, digital banking has practically come to a halt, making continued operations very difficult. He added: “Some blockchain applications and segments require very high-speed internet, which is not available in Afghanistan. With regular internet, operations can continue, but with numerous problems and very slow speeds.”
Afghan further explained that the cutoff of high-speed internet has severely affected his daily income. He said: “Previously, we earned between $100 and $200 per day, but now this income has dropped by up to 50 percent.”
The young man added that the restrictions and news about the internet cutoff have also reduced public trust in cryptocurrencies. He emphasized that in a situation where the majority of people are struggling with rising poverty and unemployment, and migration routes are closed, these restrictions could deepen the poverty crisis.
Matiullah Ebrahimi, another young activist who confirmed Soroush’s statements, described the current state of cryptocurrency as unfavorable and said digital banking is entirely dependent on high-speed internet. He added that slow internet causes setbacks in digital banking, ultimately leading to reduced income, decreased foreign investment, and diminished public trust in the banking system.
Ebrahimi stated: “At a minimum, reasonably good internet speed is necessary for market analysis and investment decision-making. Weak or slow internet makes continued operations possible, but very difficult, costly, and time-consuming.”
Meanwhile, experts warn that the restrictions erode public trust, increase fraud and capital flight, and ultimately eliminate job opportunities.
Mir Shekab Mir, an economic analyst, believes that limited internet access has halted citizens’ access to cryptocurrency accounts and, in turn, undermined public trust. He said: “Cryptocurrencies are entirely dependent on the internet, which means that with an internet cutoff, financial transactions and access to cryptocurrency accounts stop. This issue can severely damage public confidence, especially in Afghanistan, where the central bank has not issued any legal licenses and lacks clear regulations.”
The economic analyst also pointed to the rise of fraud under these conditions, adding, “Unfortunately, people lack both specialized knowledge and sufficient awareness about the nature of cryptocurrencies, their functioning, risks, and benefits. In such circumstances, maintaining public trust is difficult, and the absence of the internet can create conditions for increased fraud in Afghanistan’s markets.”
Qutbuddin Yaqubi, another economic expert, emphasizing the importance of cryptocurrency’s dependence on high-speed internet, said slow connectivity has caused capital flight abroad and, with the loss of job opportunities, worsens the economic crisis. He stressed: “If the internet is cut, economic opportunities are destroyed, capital flees, and recession and economic crises deepen. For cryptocurrencies to grow, basic infrastructure such as stable internet, electricity, stability, technical knowledge, and clear regulations is essential; otherwise, developing and advancing this system in Afghanistan will be extremely difficult.”
Last week, the Taliban began cutting fiber-optic internet in Balkh province, and now this restriction has been widely implemented in most provinces across the country. The group claims the purpose of this action is to prevent “vices,” while it has produced broad economic and social consequences. Users concerned about the effects of the high-speed internet cutoff on cryptocurrencies recall that earlier, under Taliban administration, the central bank had declared cryptocurrency transactions in the country illegal and un-Islamic.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
قطع انترنت پرسرعت؛ نفسهای ارز دیجیتال در افغانستان به شماره افتاد
