Regulatory AlertsDR Congo: fintech & payments regulation
RegulatedDRC fintech: BCC regulates via Financial Company & FX licenses; no dedicated VASP law
- Lead regulator
- Banque Centrale du Congo (BCC)
- Also involved
- NFIU (AML/CFT supervision)
- Core law
- Instruction No. 53 (Financial Companies) & Instruction No. 006 (Messaging)
- Entry capital
- USD 500,000 (Financial Company)
- Approval timeline
- 3-6 months (typical for Financial Company)
- Customer assets
- Not explicitly segregated in source docs
- Data protection
- Law 13/004 (2013) · ANPD
- Sandbox
- No
The DRC lacks a dedicated fintech or VASP license. Fintechs typically operate as 'Financial Companies' (Instruction No. 53) or 'Credit Institutions' (Instruction No. 18). Money transfer operators are regulated under Instruction No. 006. The BCC mandates interoperability via the National E-Payment Switch (Instruction No. 58).
Which licence do you need?
| Your activity | Requirement | Capital | Timeline | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payment processing / gateway | Uncertainverify with regulator No specific payment processor license; likely Financial Company | — | — | — |
| E-money & wallet issuance | Uncertainverify with regulator No e-money license; likely Financial Company or Credit Institution | — | — | — |
| Domestic money transfer | LicenceFinancial Company[1] Instruction No. 53 governs financial companies | USD 500,000 | — | Banque Centrale du Congo |
| Cross-border remittance | LicenceFinancial Messaging Service[2] Instruction No. 006 regulates money transfer operators | USD 500,000 | — | Banque Centrale du Congo |
| Agent network | Uncertainverify with regulator No specific agent network regulation found | — | — | — |
| Open banking / account information | Unregulated No open banking framework exists | — | — | — |
| Foreign-exchange services | LicenceManual Foreign Exchange Dealer[3] Instruction No. 007 regulates manual FX dealers | — | — | Banque Centrale du Congo |
New — what changed recently
- 2025-11-19Instruction No. 62 — Established licensing framework for physical transport of funds and valuables.[4]
- 2025-10-22Instruction No. 60 & 61 — Regulated Credit Information Bureaus, including capital and tariff approval.[5][6]
- 2024-08-30Instruction No. 58 — Mandated interoperability and connection to the National E-Payment Switch.[7]
Market-entry checklist
- 1Apply for Financial Company LicenseSubmit application to BCC under Instruction No. 53 with USD 500k capital proof.
- 2Secure FX Dealer AuthorizationIf handling FX, apply under Instruction No. 007 for manual dealer category.
- 3Connect to National SwitchEnsure technical compliance with Instruction No. 58 for interoperability.
- 4Register with NFIUComply with AML/CFT obligations as a reporting entity.
Sources
- Instruction No. 53 on Approval Conditions for Financial Companies, Their Directors, and Statutory Modifications · 2023-08-14
- Administrative Instruction No. 006 Regulating the Activity of Financial Messaging Services (Modification No. 2) · 2023-07-26
- Administrative Instruction No. 007 Regulating Manual Foreign Exchange Activities (Modification No. 3) · 2023-09-01
- Instruction No. 62 on the Physical Transport of Funds and Valuables in the Democratic Republic of Congo · 2025-11-19
- Instruction No. 60 on the Approval and Publication of the Tariff Schedule for Services Provided by Credit Information Bureaus · 2025-10-29
- Instruction No. 61 on Credit Information Bureaus Regarding Approval and Prior Authorization Conditions · 2025-10-29
- Instruction No. 58 on the Interoperability of Electronic Payment Systems and Participation in the National E-Payment Switch · 2024-09-04