[PRESS RELEASE – Vilnius, Lithuania, March 16th, 2026]

WhiteBIT, the largest European exchange by traffic, has announced its selection as one of 11 companies invited to participate in Ghana’s pioneering crypto regulatory sandbox. The sandbox, launched by the Ghana Securities and Exchange Commission in collaboration with the Bank of Ghana, is designed to test and refine regulated digital asset trading in a controlled environment.

WhiteBIT’s inclusion in the sandbox marks a major milestone in the company’s strategic expansion into the African market. As crypto adoption accelerates across the continent, WhiteBIT’s regulated platform and compliance expertise position it to play a central role in helping shape the next generation of digital finance infrastructure.

“WhiteBIT’s mission has always been to deliver secure, compliant, and accessible crypto services,” said Volodymyr Nosov, Founder and President of W Group, which WhiteBIT is a part of. “Being selected for Ghana’s regulatory sandbox not only underscores our commitment to responsible market expansion but also reflects our confidence in Africa’s potential to lead in digital finance.”

The sandbox initiative invites selected licensed firms to operate under regulatory supervision while sharing insights and data that will inform future licensing frameworks for virtual asset service providers (VASPs). The pilot aims to ensure that crypto trading and related services evolve in a manner that protects consumers, enhances transparency, and fosters financial innovation.

A Fast‑Growing Crypto Market

Ghana has emerged as one of Africa’s most dynamic markets for digital asset adoption. According to Chainalysis, Ghana ranks among the top five crypto adoption hubs in Africa, alongside Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa. More broadly, Africa is currently the third-largest region globally in crypto adoption, following the Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Latin America markets.

According to the central bank, 3 million Ghanaians — approximately 17 % of the adult population — actively use cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and stablecoins, for trading, payments, and remittances.

In December 2025, Ghana’s parliament approved the Virtual Asset Service Providers Bill, which legalizes cryptocurrency trading under clear licensing and compliance standards, further creating a solid basis for institutional participation.

Opportunity for Responsible Innovation

Ghana’s regulated sandbox initiative and passage of comprehensive crypto laws signal a strategic shift toward integrating digital assets into the country’s broader financial ecosystem. For WhiteBIT, participation in this program offers a unique opportunity to collaborate with regulators, technologists, and local partners to refine best practices that could extend well beyond Ghana’s borders.

“As Africa’s crypto landscape continues to evolve, WhiteBIT is committed to bringing compliant, secure, and innovative solutions to markets that are ready for next‑generation financial services,” Nosov added.

About WhiteBIT

WhiteBIT is the largest European cryptocurrency exchange by traffic, offering over 900 trading pairs, 350+ assets, and supporting 8 fiat currencies. Founded in 2018, the platform is a part of W Group which serves more than 35 million customers globally. WhiteBIT collaborates with Visa, FACEIT, FC Juventus and the Ukrainian national football team. The company is dedicated to driving the widespread adoption of blockchain technology worldwide.

A former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy has been sentenced to more than five years in prison for helping Adam Iza, a jailed crypto founder dubbed “The Godfather,” extort victims.

A California federal court handed Michael Coberg 63 months in prison and an order to pay $127,000 in restitution for helping Iza extort one of his rivals and arrange a drug possession arrest of another person, the Los Angeles US Attorney’s office said on Monday. 

Coberg had pleaded guilty in September to conspiracy to commit extortion and conspiracy against rights.

Prosecutors said Coberg was paid at least $20,000 a month for his security services by Iza, the founder of the crypto trading platform Zort, who was known as “The Godfather.” 

Iza pleaded guilty in January 2025 to extorting multiple people and is awaiting sentencing.

Prosecutors detail Coberg’s extortion, drug sting

According to prosecutors, in October 2021, Coberg was part of a team that picked up a victim, identified only as “L.A.,” who had a business partner in a financial dispute with Iza. 

Coberg brought L.A. to Iza’s house, where Iza recorded a video of L.A. transferring $127,000 to Iza’s bank account while Coberg stood watch.

Coberg also took Iza and L.A. to a shooting range, where prosecutors said Iza held L.A. at gunpoint and demanded he transfer money to him.

Prosecutors said Coberg also conspired with Iza and others to set up a victim, identified only as “R.C.,” to be arrested over drugs.

Related: Former LAPD officer convicted of kidnapping teen in $350K crypto robbery

R.C. had been in a dispute where Iza, Christopher Cadman — a former Sheriff’s Department deputy who pleaded guilty in August to helping Iza — and another deputy had held R.C. at gunpoint to transfer $25,000 to Iza.

Coberg and others set up a sham sting where R.C.’s ex-girlfriend called and convinced them to fly to LA to use drugs together.

R.C. was picked up at the airport, driven to get drugs and was then stopped and arrested by a Sheriff’s Department deputy that Coberg had tipped off.

Prosecutors said in their sentencing memorandum for Coberg that he abused “the awesome power of his badge. And he did so for an all-too-common reason: greed.”

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