AT a bustling money changer in northwestern Syria, a 46-year-old farmer gripped a plastic card like a lifeline. She had never heard of cryptocurrency, but the card held US$500 of it to help restart her farm after nearly 14 years of civil war.
As a teller confirmed the total and cashed out the account, the farmer, Hala Mahmoud Almahmoud, smiled with relief and paused to give thanks. Where had such technology come from, she asked.
