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

The MLPA Amendment Act 2018 (No. 13) added 'dealers and promoters of virtual or digital currency or anything related to blockchain technology' to Schedule 1 of the MLPA as financial institutions, requiring a valid Samoan business licence and adherence to CBS reporting and AML/KYC requirements. Contravention carries imprisonment or fines.

The Central Bank of Samoa has stated that cryptocurrencies are not issued or regulated by the CBS, have no legal tender status, and that investment in them is 'very risky and speculative in nature.' The CBS has publicly warned residents and businesses against participating in crypto-related schemes.

The APG 8th Follow-Up Report (June 2023) found that while VASPs are nominally classified as financial institutions under the MLPA, Samoa has no active VASPs, no formal VA sector risk assessment, and no mechanism to identify or supervise VASPs—leaving the classification largely unenforced in practice.

When a Samoa Digital Asset Exchange and Oceania Special Economic Zone was proposed and promoted in Hong Kong in 2023, the CBS, supported by IMF and Australian DFAT experts, strongly opposed it, citing extreme crypto volatility and risks of facilitating organised crime including human trafficking. The Government of Samoa confirmed it had not endorsed the proposal and committed to a feasibility study.

The Central Bank of Samoa announced a fintech sandbox in late 2024, signalling openness to carefully supervised financial innovation, which could encompass crypto-adjacent projects under controlled conditions.

Beyond the MLPA AML overlay, Samoa has enacted no specific legislation for stablecoin issuance, crypto custody, ICOs/STOs, or DeFi protocols. FATF (2023) confirmed the absence of any such sub-sector frameworks.