Is crypto legal in Congo? Regulation & rules (2026)

The Banque Centrale du Congo has issued official public notices (Avis au Public) banning specific unauthorized crypto schemes and warning of cybercrime and money-laundering risks. Personal acquisition and trading are tolerated at the user's own risk, but no local exchange has been licensed.

Ordonnance-Loi No. 23/010 of 13 March 2023 established a legal framework for digital services, cybersecurity, electronic transactions, and data protection, but does not specifically regulate crypto-assets, exchanges, or token offerings.

A draft Digital-Asset Law was placed under inter-ministerial review in 2025, proposing a DASP (Digital-Asset Service Provider) licensing regime for exchanges and token issuers, a regulatory sandbox administered by the Ministry of Digital Economy, and on-shore custody requirements.

On 6 May 2022, COBAC issued Decision D-2022/071 prohibiting all COBAC-supervised institutions (banks, microfinance institutions, payment service providers) in the six CEMAC states, including Congo-Brazzaville, from acquiring, holding, exchanging, converting, or settling in any cryptocurrency on their own or clients' behalf.

The DRC announced a 5% withholding tax on crypto-to-fiat conversions of USD 5,000 or more. The Ministry of Finance is developing broader rules covering capital gains, staking income, and exchange-reporting obligations.

In the DRC, CENAREF (the Financial Intelligence Unit) requires suspicious transaction reports for crypto-linked activity above CDF 5 million. In Congo-Brazzaville, COBAC Decision D-2022/071 mandates monthly detailed reports on any detected crypto transactions even where direct facilitation is banned.