Blockworks: Crypto became critical for some in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover last year, but authorities are now coming down hard on the local scene, reportedly shuttering at least 16 crypto exchanges in the country’s western Herat province. The move comes three months after Afghanistan banned crypto trading in the country, noted local independent outlet Ariana on Wednesday. It didn’t mention which crypto exchanges were affected by the closures. Google trends data shows web searches for “bitcoin” and “crypto” had risen just before the takeover. Afghanistan even entered the top 20 countries in Chainalysis’ Global Crypto Adoption Index in 2021, which maps the prevalence of digital assets across the world. Click here to read more (external link).