Cryptocurrency Mining Ban in Angola: What You Need to Know

When Angola, a southern African nation with growing internet access and limited banking infrastructure banned cryptocurrency mining in 2023, it wasn’t just about controlling digital currency—it was about protecting its fragile power grid and central bank authority. The ban, enforced by the National Bank of Angola, made it illegal for individuals and companies to run mining rigs using the country’s electricity. This move wasn’t random. It came after reports of massive energy drains from unregulated mining operations, often run by foreign actors using stolen or subsidized power. cryptocurrency mining, the process of validating blockchain transactions using powerful computers had become a hidden drain on a country where rolling blackouts are common. For many Angolans, crypto was seen as a way to bypass inflation and access global finance. But the government saw it as a threat to control, not empowerment.

Angola’s ban is part of a broader pattern across Africa and beyond. Countries like Nigeria, a major crypto market in Africa with millions of active users, have cracked down on crypto exchanges and banking access, while others like Egypt, a nation with strict financial controls and religious objections to speculative assets have outright prohibited trading. Angola’s approach is simpler: no mining, no legal recognition, no exceptions. Unlike the EU’s MiCA regulation, which tries to manage crypto through rules, Angola just said no. The result? Miners moved underground—or out of the country. Local crypto users now rely on peer-to-peer platforms and VPNs to trade, but mining rigs sit idle. The ban also reflects deeper tensions: a government wary of losing monetary control, citizens seeking financial freedom, and global crypto networks that don’t recognize borders.

What’s left for Angolans? Not much. The ban doesn’t stop people from holding Bitcoin or other coins, but it makes earning them through mining impossible. It doesn’t touch decentralized finance or wallet usage, but it cuts off one of the most accessible ways to get into crypto without buying it outright. For those who already mined, the machines are now expensive paperweights. For newcomers, the door is slammed shut. This isn’t just about energy—it’s about power. Who controls the flow of money? The state, or the network? Angola picked the state. And while some see this as protection, others see it as exclusion. Below, you’ll find real-world examples of how countries handle crypto bans, what happens when mining goes underground, and how regulations like MiCA and AML rules in the EU contrast with Angola’s blunt approach. This isn’t theory. It’s what’s happening right now, in real communities, with real consequences.