Crypto & Digital Assets · Burundi
Is crypto legal in Burundi? Regulation & rules (2026)
Burundi shaded by its crypto & digital assets status
The Bank of the Republic of Burundi (BRB) issued a blanket prohibition on all cryptocurrency trading and remittances in September 2019, stating that virtual currencies have no legal tender status in Burundi and that no financial institution is authorised to offer payment or remittance services using them. The central bank warned that 'strong measures' would be taken against violators. As of mid-2026, no official legislation or BRB circular has reversed or formally replaced this prohibition; no licensing, custody, stablecoin, or token-offering framework exists.
Key points
In September 2019 the BRB's micro-finance director Alfred Nyobewumusi announced a blanket ban on all crypto transactions, citing that virtual currencies are not regulated, not issued by any government or central bank, and expose users to losses without legal recourse. Remittances in crypto were explicitly included.
The BRB stated categorically that virtual currencies have no legal course (cours légal) on Burundian territory and that no financial institution may offer fund-remittance or payment services using virtual currencies.
The BRB justified the prohibition as consumer protection: crypto is traded on unregulated global platforms with highly volatile prices, and Burundian citizens who lost money had no legal recourse. The Bloomberg news report corroborated the announcement.
The prohibition is a central-bank regulatory decree, not a parliamentary statute with explicit criminal penalties; however, the BRB threatened 'strong measures' against non-compliant parties. No subsequent official legislative act has established a licensing or regulatory framework.
Some third-party commentary has referenced possible 2024 developments (regulatory sandbox, AML/KYC for crypto service providers), but these claims are not corroborated by any official BRB publication, government gazette, or primary legal source as of May 2026 and should be treated as unverified.
Burundi has not been identified as having implemented FATF Recommendation 15 on virtual assets; the FATF June 2025 targeted update found over 75% of jurisdictions only partially compliant, and no Burundi-specific VASP supervisory regime has been publicly confirmed.
Burundi - other topics
Last verified 5/24/2026 · Orientation, not legal advice - verify against the primary sources linked above. Explore the full world map →