Is crypto legal in Saint Lucia? Regulation & rules (2026)

Act No. 24 of 2022, in force since December 2022, mandates FSRA licensing for exchanges, custody providers, transfer services, and entities providing financial services related to token issuance or sale; it was enacted to bolster AML/CFT compliance with FATF Recommendation 15.

The Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) issues licences, sets capital and conduct requirements, and supervises VASPs; updated regulations and licensing process guidance (VASP012025) were published in January 2025.

Minimum paid-up capital ranges from XCD 100,000 to XCD 250,000 depending on licence category; VASPs must also maintain escrow assets equal to at least 15% of client funds with a registered trust company or custodian.

Section 14 of the VABA 2022 requires an FSRA-approved prospectus before any public offer or sale of virtual assets; Section 16 governs prospectus amendments. ICOs, IEOs, and asset tokenisation services require an FSRA licence.

The Money Laundering (Prevention) (Amendment) Act No. 5 of 2023 further aligned Saint Lucia's AML framework with FATF requirements, complementing the VASP licensing regime and imposing additional reporting obligations on crypto businesses.

The ECCB does not regulate private crypto and has issued advisories warning of volatility and limited recourse; it operates DCash (a tokenised EC dollar) as the sole legally recognised digital currency in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union, with Saint Lucia as a participant.