Bitsika - Statement on Iran Promotional Page Error

1. Overview of the Situation

We are writing to address the article published by Jason Mikula on February 8, 2026, regarding a page on our domain that appeared to promote Bitsika's cards for sanctions evasion in Iran. The article raised valid and serious concerns, and we want to provide full clarity on how this occurred and what we are doing about it.

Link to the article: https://fintechbusinessweekly.substack.com/p/no-kyc-crypto-cards-tap-corporate

2. How the Content Was Created

The page in question was generated by our team using Claude, an advanced AI model. The instruction given to the model was to create promotional content for our crypto virtual card services, tailored to different countries by addressing the specific needs of local users. This resulted in hundreds of pages of content, amounting to hundreds of thousands of words across numerous countries.

3. The Oversight

Due to the massive volume of content generated, we did not proofread every page before publication. We made an incorrect assumption that a sophisticated AI model like Claude would not generate content that could be interpreted as promoting illegal activities, including sanctions evasion. The model did not specify which countries' sanctions it referenced, and we failed to catch this before it went live.

4. Our Core Commitment to Compliance

We want to state this as clearly as possible: Bitsika does not, has never, and will never participate in or encourage the evasion of sanctions for Iran or any other OFAC-listed country. Our services have always been provided in full compliance with applicable laws.

5. Addressing the Backlash

The backlash following Jason's article was entirely understandable and justified. We appreciate the opportunity to set the record straight and take full responsibility for this error. We are grateful the article was published, as it brought this issue to our attention so we could take immediate corrective action.

6. Our User Base and Operations

Throughout our history, Bitsika (a Ghana company) has primarily served users in a handful of West African countries. We have never accepted deposits in Iranian rial or any currency from OFAC-sanctioned countries. We have never facilitated any money exchange involving Iran or any other sanctioned jurisdiction. Furthermore, our app binary has never been translated into Persian or Farsi, making it inherently unsuitable for an Iranian audience.

7. Remediation Steps Taken

The Iran promotional page has been taken down. It was live for approximately two and a half months. According to our Google Cloud Console data, the page received only 45 clicks during that entire period, which we are relieved to see indicates its reach was very limited.

8. A Broader Lesson on AI

This incident highlights a critical conversation about responsibility for AI-generated outputs. While AI tools offer incredible efficiency, the ultimate responsibility for content accuracy and compliance rests with humans. We must verify all AI outputs whether code or text before publishing, regardless of the volume. Even industry leaders like Google have faced similar issues, such as the recent incident where their AI systems generated an offensive notification regarding the BAFTAs, for which they had to publicly apologize. These examples show that no company is immune to the risks of AI oversight.

Link to the BBC article: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3v730qwwzwo

9. Conclusion

This has been a difficult but valuable learning experience for our entire team. We hope it serves as a cautionary tale for the wider fintech community about the importance of rigorous human oversight in the age of generative AI. We are implementing stricter guardrails and review processes for all future AI-generated content.