Regulatory AlertsDR Congo: crypto & digital assets regulation
RestrictedDRC bans crypto; CBN Instruction 15 enforces AML on fiat interfaces
- Lead regulator
- Banque Centrale du Congo (CBC)
- Also involved
- Ministry of Finance (taxation) · General Directorate of Customs
- Core law
- Instruction No. 15 (Modification No. 3) 2023
- Entry capital
- —
- Approval timeline
- —
- Customer assets
- Prohibited for crypto; standard banking rules apply
- Data protection
- Law No. 16/019 2016 · CNIL
- Sandbox
- No
The Democratic Republic of Congo prohibits the use of cryptocurrencies for payments and investment. The Central Bank of Congo (CBC) enforces strict anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CFT) norms via Instruction No. 15. Financial institutions must apply risk-based approaches to client identification and transaction monitoring, effectively restricting crypto-related fiat interfaces to high-compliance banking channels.
Which licence do you need?
| Your activity | Requirement | Capital | Timeline | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exchange / trading platform | Prohibited[1] Crypto payments and investment banned by CBC | — | — | CBC |
| Custody of client assets | Prohibited[1] Custody of crypto assets not permitted | — | — | CBC |
| Token issuance / public offering | Prohibited[1] Public offering of crypto tokens banned | — | — | CBC |
| Broker-dealer / OTC desk | Prohibited[1] OTC crypto trading prohibited | — | — | CBC |
| Stablecoin issuance | Prohibited[1] Stablecoin issuance and use banned | — | — | CBC |
| Crypto payments acceptance | Prohibited[1] Crypto payments explicitly banned | — | — | CBC |
| Mining / staking services | Uncertainverify with regulator Mining not explicitly banned but unregulated | — | — | — |
| Advisory / portfolio management | Uncertainverify with regulator Advisory services unregulated but risky | — | — | — |
New — what changed recently
- 2023-09-05Instruction No. 15 (Modification No. 3) — CBC updated AML/CFT norms for credit institutions, reinforcing risk-based client identification and transaction monitoring.[1]
Market-entry checklist
- 1Confirm crypto ban complianceEnsure no crypto payments or investment activities are conducted in DRC.
- 2Implement CBC AML normsAdopt Instruction No. 15 risk-based client identification for all fiat transactions.
- 3Register with CNILComply with Law No. 16/019 for data protection if handling personal data.
- 4Consult Ministry of FinanceVerify tax implications for any digital asset-related income or services.
Sources
- Instruction No. 15 (Modification No. 3) · 2023-09-05