How Algerians Access Cryptocurrency Exchanges Under the 2025 Ban

As of July 2025, Algerians cannot legally access cryptocurrency exchanges-not because of technical barriers, not because of lack of interest, but because the government made it a crime. Law No. 25-10, published on July 24, 2025, turned every Bitcoin transaction, every Ethereum wallet, every peer-to-peer trade into a potential jail sentence. This isn’t a restriction. It’s a total ban.

What the Law Actually Bans

Algeria’s Law No. 25-10 doesn’t just block access to Binance or Coinbase. It bans everything. Holding crypto. Buying it. Selling it. Mining it. Even talking about it publicly as an investment tool. The law defines cryptocurrencies as "virtual instruments used as means of exchange via a computer system, without support from a central bank"-and declares them illegal under any circumstance.

The penalties aren’t warnings. They’re punishments. If you’re caught holding Bitcoin, you could face two months to one year in prison. Fines range from 200,000 to 1,000,000 Algerian dinars ($1,540-$7,700). For repeat offenses or if authorities link your activity to organized crime, fines can climb to 2 million dinars ($14,700). And yes, prison and fine can happen at the same time.

This law doesn’t just target traders. It targets developers, educators, even content creators. If you run a YouTube video explaining how blockchain works-or post a tweet about DeFi-you could be prosecuted. The government considers any promotion or informational activity about crypto to be a violation. That means Algeria’s once-thriving tech community, which had dozens of blockchain startups and hundreds of skilled developers, has been forced underground-or out of the country entirely.

How Things Were Before the Ban

Just a year before the ban, Algeria was one of the fastest-growing crypto markets in North Africa. Chainalysis ranked it in the top five for peer-to-peer trading volume in the MENA region. People were using crypto not just to speculate, but to send money across borders, protect savings from inflation, and access global financial tools ignored by traditional banks.

Before 2018, there were no real rules. Then came vague currency regulations that didn’t carry penalties. That gap let crypto grow quietly. By 2024, Algerians were trading millions in crypto every month through informal networks, Telegram groups, and local P2P platforms. Many used local currency to buy USDT from traders in Morocco or Tunisia. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked.

Then, in July 2025, everything changed. The government didn’t just tighten rules-it erased the entire ecosystem. No grace period. No grandfathering. No exceptions. Even digital wallets stored on phones became legal liabilities.

How People Still Try to Access Crypto (and Why It’s Dangerous)

Some Algerians still try. Not because they’re reckless-they’re desperate. With inflation climbing and the dinar losing value, crypto feels like the only escape hatch left.

Here’s how they do it:

• Using VPNs to access foreign exchanges like Binance, Kraken, or Bybit. But Algerian authorities now monitor traffic patterns. Suspicious IP routing triggers automated alerts.
• Peer-to-peer trades through encrypted apps like Signal or Telegram. Buyers and sellers meet in person, often in public places, exchanging cash for crypto. These transactions leave physical traces-bank withdrawals, location data, surveillance cameras.
• Decentralized exchanges (DEXs) like Uniswap or PancakeSwap. These don’t require sign-ups, so they’re harder to block. But they still require internet access-and Algerian ISPs are required to log user activity.
• Foreign bank accounts in Tunisia, Egypt, or Turkey. Some transfer money abroad legally, then use those accounts to buy crypto on regulated platforms. But transferring large sums out of Algeria without approval is itself a violation of currency control laws.

None of these methods are safe. Algerian law enforcement has upgraded its digital surveillance tools. They track metadata, monitor wallet addresses linked to local phone numbers, and collaborate with international agencies to trace cross-border crypto flows. The risk isn’t just getting caught-it’s getting caught with no legal recourse.

Why the Government Did This

The official reason? Financial stability and national security. Algeria claims crypto enables money laundering, terrorism financing, and capital flight. They point to FATF guidelines, which urge countries to regulate digital assets to prevent illicit use.

But here’s the contradiction: Algeria’s own central bank has no digital payment infrastructure. Millions of Algerians don’t have bank accounts. Mobile money is underdeveloped. Crypto filled a gap the state refused to fix. Instead of building a regulated system-like Nigeria or Kenya did-Algeria chose to shut it down.

There’s also a political layer. The government wants total control over financial flows. Crypto is decentralized. It can’t be taxed easily. It can’t be monitored in real time. For a state that relies heavily on oil revenue and state-controlled banking, that’s unacceptable.

The Human Cost

This isn’t just about trading. It’s about opportunity.

Before the ban, Algeria had a growing cohort of young developers skilled in Solidity, Rust, and smart contract auditing. Many worked remotely for global Web3 projects. Now, those skills are liabilities. Companies that hired blockchain engineers have shut down. Freelancers have fled to Tunisia, Spain, or Canada.

Students who studied computer science with a focus on blockchain now face a dead end. Universities stopped offering courses. Conferences were canceled. Even open-source contributions to crypto projects could be seen as promoting illegal activity.

The ban didn’t stop crypto use-it pushed it into the shadows. And in the shadows, there’s no consumer protection. No dispute resolution. No recourse if you’re scammed. People lose money. They get pressured. They disappear.

How Algeria Compares to the Rest of the World

Algeria is one of only nine countries in the world with a complete crypto ban. The others include China, Egypt, Morocco, and Bangladesh. Most of these countries have weaker economies and less tech infrastructure than Algeria.

Compare that to the EU, which passed MiCA regulations in 2023 to bring crypto under clear legal oversight. Or the U.S., where states like Wyoming have created crypto-friendly legal frameworks. Even Nigeria, with its own currency crisis, allows regulated exchanges and taxes crypto income.

Algeria’s approach is isolationist. It’s not protecting its citizens-it’s cutting them off from the future of finance. While the world builds digital wallets, smart contracts, and tokenized assets, Algeria is building firewalls.

What’s Next for Algeria?

The ban is new. Enforcement is still ramping up. But early reports show arrests are already happening. People are being detained for holding crypto on their phones. Bank accounts are being frozen based on suspected crypto links.

There’s no sign the government plans to reverse course. In fact, they’ve doubled down-issuing new directives to ISPs to block access to crypto-related domains and to report any suspicious transactions.

The long-term impact? Algeria risks becoming a digital backwater. Young talent leaves. Foreign tech investors stay away. Innovation stalls. Meanwhile, the rest of the world moves on.

For now, Algerians who want crypto have two choices: obey the law and accept financial exclusion-or break it and risk prison. Neither is a real option. It’s a trap.