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Burundi: fintech & payments regulation

Regulated

BRB regulates fintech via Circular 001/SP/2024; strict licensing for e-money and payments

Lead regulator
Banque de la République du Burundi (BRB)
Also involved
NFIU (AML/CFT supervision); Ministry of Finance (tax)
Core law
Law No. 1/07 of May 11, 2018 on the National Payment System
Entry capital
BIF 1,000m (E-money Issuer)
Approval timeline
3-6 months for payment institution license
Customer assets
Segregated accounts required; no commingling
Data protection
Law No. 1/13/2013 on Personal Data Protection
Sandbox
No

The BRB is the sole supervisor for payment services and e-money issuance under Law No. 1/07/2018. The regulatory framework was significantly updated in 2024 with Circular No. 001/SP/2024 (e-money) and Circular No. 002/SP/2024 (payment aggregation), establishing a tiered licensing regime. The central bank mandates prior authorization for all payment service providers, with strict capital and governance requirements.

Which licence do you need?

Your activityRequirementCapitalTimelineAuthority
Payment processing / gatewayLicencePayment Aggregation Institution[1]

Requires strict governance and data protection standards

BIF 200m3-6 monthsBRB
E-money & wallet issuanceLicenceElectronic Money Issuing Payment Institution[2]

Minimum share capital mandated by Circular 001/SP/2024

BIF 1,000m3-6 monthsBRB
Domestic money transferLicencePayment Institution[3][4]

Domestic transfers fall under general payment institution rules

BIF 300m3-6 monthsBRB
Cross-border remittanceLicencePayment Institution (International)[3]

Specific circular for international fund transfers applies

BIF 300m3-6 monthsBRB
Agent networkLicenceCommercial Agent[5]

Regulated under Regulation No. 003/2024 for banking/payment agents

——BRB
Open banking / account informationUncertainverify with regulator

No specific open banking framework identified in documents

———
Foreign-exchange servicesLicenceExchange Office[6]

Minimum capital of 550m BIF or 440k USD required

BIF 550m—BRB

New — what changed recently

  • 2026-07-01Circular No. 008/SP/2026 — Defined rules for payment services within the National Electronic Commerce Ecosystem, mandating prior BRB approval.[7]
  • 2026-03-01Regulation No. 03/2026 — Established participation and operational rules for the national instant payment system, BurundiPay.[8]
  • 2024-11-01Circular No. 007/SP/2024 — Regulated payment institutions for international fund transfers with a BIF 300m capital floor.[3]
  • 2024-09-01Circular No. 001/SP/2024 — Regulated e-money issuance with a BIF 1 billion minimum capital requirement.[2]

Market-entry checklist

  1. 1Secure BRB prior authorizationApply for a Payment Institution or E-money Issuer license under Law No. 1/07/2018.
  2. 2Deposit minimum capitalDeposit BIF 1 billion for e-money or BIF 200 million for payment aggregation into a BRB-approved account.
  3. 3Appoint approved managementSubmit senior management profiles for BRB approval under Circular No. 003/SP/2024.
  4. 4Implement AML/CFT frameworkEstablish compliance systems aligned with BRB surveillance frameworks and NFIU reporting.
  5. 5Register for data protectionComply with Law No. 1/13/2013 on Personal Data Protection for customer data handling.

Sources

  1. Circular No. 002 of 2024 on Payment Aggregation Institutions · 2024-09-01
  2. Circular No. 001 of 2024 on the Activities of Electronic Money Issuing Payment Institutions · 2024-09-01
  3. Circular No. 007/SP/2024 Relating to Payment Institutions for International Fund Transfers · 2024-11-01
  4. Circular No. 02/M/18 on the Institutional Transformation of a Microfinance Institution or Community Financial Group, Issued Pursuant to Regulation No. 001/2018 on Microfinance Activities · 2024-10-01
  5. Regulation No. 003 of 2024 on Commercial Agent Activities in Banking Operations and Payment Services · 2024-09-01
  6. On the Approval of Exchange Offices and Their Managers · 2024-10-01
  7. Circular No. 008/SP/2026 on Payment Services within Burundi's National Electronic Commerce Ecosystem · 2026-07-01
  8. Regulation No. 03/2026 Defining Participation and Usage Rules for the Modules of Burundi’s Instant Payment System, Named 'BurundiPay' · 2026-03-01
This guide is compiled automatically from 8 primary-source documents published by Burundi's regulators, reviewed by RegAlert, and refreshed monthly (last updated 2026-07-12). It is not legal advice — always confirm requirements with the regulator or local counsel before acting.