Zimbabwe has joined other African nations in regulating digital assets, requiring cryptocurrency businesses to register and pay annual fees as it imposes a legal framework on an informal token economy, Reuters reported.
Zimbabwe Mandates Crypto Registrations in Regulation Push: Reuters
15 June 2026 - 07:15 CEST
Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube issued regulations requiring firms involved in all aspects of cryptocurrencies to register with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and pay $500 annually, or be deemed illegal operators, the 12 Jun report said.
Sub-Saharan Africa received over $205bn in onchain value between July 2024 and June 2025, up roughly 52% from the previous year, according to Chainalysis. This makes it the third-fastest growing region in the world, behind Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Latin America.
Zimbabwe banned financial institutions from trading cryptocurrency in 2018, but usage continued informally, driven by hyperinflation, a volatile local currency and the high cost of traditional bank remittances.
