Africa Crypto Regulation: What's Legal, Banned, or Changing in 2025

When it comes to Africa crypto regulation, the patchwork of national laws governing digital assets across the continent. Also known as crypto legal frameworks in Africa, it's not a single system—it's 54 different approaches, from outright bans to unofficial acceptance. Unlike the EU’s MiCA rules or the U.S.’s SEC crackdowns, Africa’s crypto rules are still being written by governments reacting to real-world use, not theoretical debates.

Take Nigeria, for example. The Central Bank banned banks from processing crypto transactions in 2021, but millions still use peer-to-peer platforms to send remittances and trade Bitcoin. Meanwhile, South Africa treats crypto as property and taxes it like any other asset—no ban, just reporting. In Kenya, mobile money apps like M-Pesa have quietly become crypto gateways, with users swapping crypto for airtime and goods without ever touching a traditional exchange. This isn’t theoretical adoption—it’s survival. And it’s forcing regulators to catch up.

Some countries are trying to get ahead. Ghana is testing a central bank digital currency (CBDC) called e-Cedi, while Rwanda quietly allows tokenized real-world assets under its fintech sandbox. But in Egypt and Algeria, crypto trading is illegal, and in Tunisia, you can’t even open a crypto wallet without government approval. Meanwhile, tax authorities across the continent are starting to track crypto wallets, with Nigeria’s FIRS demanding reports from exchanges and individuals who earned over $1,000 in crypto last year. The Africa crypto regulation landscape isn’t about control—it’s about control slipping through fingers.

What you’ll find below are real, up-to-date breakdowns of where crypto is allowed, taxed, banned, or ignored across African nations. You’ll see how MiCA-inspired rules are creeping in, how scams are shaping policy, and why some governments are quietly letting crypto thrive—even when they say it’s illegal. These aren’t opinions. These are facts pulled from official statements, enforcement actions, and user behavior on the ground.