Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency Regulation in Democratic Republic of Congo

• Legal: Tolerated, not criminalised, not legal tender, no dedicated law in force
• Tax: No confirmed crypto tax; proposals only, general rules may apply
• Buying: Global exchanges and P2P via mobile money

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is one of Africa's largest countries by population and territory, yet it remains heavily cash-based, with a large unbanked population, widespread mobile-money use and a long history of currency instability. Against that backdrop, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have spread mainly through peer-to-peer trading, mobile money and informal remittance channels rather than through a formal, licensed market.

As of 2026, the DRC has no dedicated, fully enacted cryptocurrency statute. Crypto is not recognised as legal tender, and the central bank, the Banque Centrale du Congo (BCC), has issued public warnings against crypto-based savings schemes. At the same time, the country has built a broader digital-economy legal framework (the 2023 Digital Code and its 2026 implementing decrees) that does not specifically govern crypto-assets, while crypto-industry reports describe a separate digital-asset bill and tax proposals that, on current information, are not confirmed as enacted law. This page explains the legal status, who regulates what, how taxation and exchanges work in practice, and the realities of mining and remittances. It is general information as of 2026 and is not legal, tax or financial advice; verify any specific point with the Banque Centrale du Congo or a qualified Congolese professional before acting. For background, see our guide to crypto regulation.

In practical terms, owning and trading Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is not criminalised in the DRC, but the activity sits in a legal grey zone rather than being formally licensed and protected. The key points:

• Not legal tender. The Congolese franc (CDF) is the national currency. Cryptocurrency is not recognised as money, and merchants are under no obligation to accept it. Day-to-day prices, wages and official payments are denominated in CDF, with the US dollar widely used informally.
• No dedicated crypto law in force. Researchers and practitioners note that neither the monetary and financial framework, the foreign-exchange rules, nor the electronic-money rules contain explicit, crypto-specific provisions, leaving a genuine legislative gap.
• Official caution. The Banque Centrale du Congo has publicly warned that crypto-based savings schemes are not authorised and carry high risks of fraud, cyber-crime and money laundering, and that participants do so at their own risk with no state backstop. A BCC public notice dated 9 November 2018 flagged the illegal collection of public savings through crypto-related schemes by unlicensed structures, and later notices named specific unauthorised operators. The bank's interventions have taken the form of informational warnings rather than binding, crypto-specific rules.

In short, crypto is tolerated rather than formally endorsed. Because legislation and policy are evolving, re-check the position against official sources before relying on it.

No single authority has a clear, statutory mandate over crypto-assets, so responsibility is shared and partly informal:

• Banque Centrale du Congo (BCC). The central bank is the primary authority over money, payments and the financial system. It operates under Law No. 005/2002 of 7 May 2002 and the organic Law No. 18/027 of 13 December 2018, and its core mandate is price and currency stability and the supervision of credit and microfinance institutions. It has been the main official voice on crypto, issuing cautionary public notices rather than a detailed licensing regime.
• Ministry in charge of the digital economy and the digital regulator. The DRC's 2023 Digital Code creates a digital-economy policy ministry and an Autorité de Regulation du Numerique (digital regulation authority); pending that authority's full establishment, implementation has been delegated provisionally to the existing telecoms regulator, the ARPTC.
• Ministry of Finance and tax administration. Generally responsible for tax policy, including how any gains or conversions involving digital assets would be treated under general tax rules.

You can consult the central bank directly via the Banque Centrale du Congo and the digital/telecoms regulator via the ARPTC. A fully enacted, crypto-specific supervisory regime was not confirmed in force as of 2026.

Several instruments shape the environment around digital assets, even though none of them is a dedicated crypto statute:

• Digital Code (Ordonnance-Loi n° 23/010 of 13 March 2023). Published in the Official Journal in April 2023, this is the DRC's comprehensive framework for digital activities, services, infrastructure, electronic transactions, cybersecurity and data protection. It establishes institutions such as a digital regulation authority, an electronic-certification authority, a national cybersecurity agency and a national digital council. It does not contain crypto-specific provisions, but it is the backbone of digital-sector regulation.
• Implementing decrees of 11 March 2026 (Arretes n° 004 and n° 005). These ministerial orders operationalise the Digital Code by creating an authorisation regime (for data centres, qualified trust-service providers, hosting providers and dominant platforms, including fintech platforms) and a lighter declaration regime (for non-dominant platforms and start-ups). Commentators have noted these decrees say nothing explicit about crypto-assets specifically, so they should not be read as a crypto licensing scheme.
• Monetary, foreign-exchange and electronic-money rules. These general financial rules apply to licensed institutions but do not, on current analysis, set out a bespoke crypto regime.
• Reported digital-asset bill (not confirmed enacted). Crypto-industry coverage describes a separate digital-asset bill that would license digital-asset service providers and introduce custody and transaction rules. Treat this as a proposal under discussion rather than binding law until a bill is formally passed and published. Always confirm the status through official government channels.

As of 2026 there is no confirmed, in-force licensing regime specifically for crypto exchanges or virtual-asset service providers (VASPs) in the DRC. The Banque Centrale du Congo has not authorised a domestic crypto exchange, and the 2023 Digital Code and its 2026 decrees regulate digital services generally rather than crypto trading as such.

The practical consequences:

• Congolese users mostly rely on international exchanges and peer-to-peer (P2P) platforms, whose compliance standards are set offshore, not by a Congolese licence.
• Crypto-industry reports describe a proposed digital-asset service provider (DASP) licence under a future bill, but that licence is not confirmed to exist in law and should not be assumed to be available.
• A digital service that qualifies as a regulated platform under the 2026 decrees may still face authorisation or declaration duties under the Digital Code, independent of any crypto-specific status.

Before assuming any registration or licence applies, confirm directly with the central bank or the digital regulator, because requirements are evolving and depend on the exact activity.

There is no widely publicised, dedicated crypto tax code confirmed to be in force in the DRC. In principle, gains or business income involving digital assets could fall under general income, business or capital tax rules administered by the tax authorities, but the application of those rules to crypto is not clearly settled.

Crypto-industry coverage has referenced specific proposals, including a withholding tax of around 5% on crypto-to-fiat conversions above a US-dollar threshold. On current information these figures relate to proposals or draft measures rather than a confirmed, enacted tax. Do not rely on any specific rate or threshold: verify your obligations with the Ministry of Finance or the tax administration, or consult a qualified Congolese tax professional. For general background on how crypto is commonly taxed, see our crypto taxes guide. This is not tax advice.

The DRC's central concern about crypto, as expressed in the BCC's public warnings, has been money laundering, fraud and cyber-crime. The bank has highlighted that many crypto operators are based outside the country and outside its supervision, that blockchain transactions can involve anonymity, and that unauthorised schemes have collected public savings illegally.

Key points on AML and KYC:

• Licensed institutions. Banks, microfinance institutions and mobile-money operators supervised by the BCC are expected to identify their customers and report suspicious activity, including suspicious flows that may be linked to crypto.
• No confirmed VASP-specific AML regime. Because there is no enacted crypto-licensing law confirmed in force, there is no domestic VASP-specific AML regime to point to; reported figures (such as thresholds for reporting crypto-linked flows) come from industry coverage and proposals, not a verified statute.
• Practical expectation. Any crypto business operating with the DRC should treat strong KYC, transaction monitoring and record-keeping as essential, both to manage risk and to be ready for future requirements.

Confirm current obligations with the BCC and the relevant supervisory bodies before designing compliance processes.

Because there is no confirmed licensed domestic exchange regime, Congolese users typically buy crypto through international platforms and peer-to-peer channels rather than locally regulated venues. Common routes include:

• Global exchanges with mobile-money on-ramps. Some international platforms have connected to local mobile-money services such as Airtel Money and Orange Money, letting users fund accounts from a phone-based balance rather than a bank account. Availability changes, so confirm current support for the DRC.
• Peer-to-peer marketplaces. P2P trading, where buyers and sellers are matched and settle via mobile money or cash, is widely used where banking access is limited. Escrow on reputable platforms reduces, but does not eliminate, counterparty risk.
• Mobile money as a bridge. With low bank penetration and high mobile-money usage, mobile wallets are often the practical link between Congolese francs and crypto.

A typical buying process: choose a reputable platform that supports the DRC; create and verify your account (expect identity checks and enable two-factor authentication); fund it via mobile money or a P2P trade in CDF or USD; place your order after checking fees and the exchange rate; and, for meaningful amounts, move the crypto to a wallet you control, backing up your recovery phrase offline and never sharing it. Throughout, be alert to scams, verify website addresses, and ignore anyone guaranteeing profits. Internet and electricity reliability vary by region and can affect access.

Bitcoin mining is not specifically prohibited in the DRC, and the activity is largely unregulated rather than governed by a confirmed, dedicated mining statute. The country's most distinctive mining story involves its substantial hydropower potential. Eastern DRC, including areas associated with national-park hydroelectric projects, has seen small-scale mining operations powered by hydro electricity, sometimes presented as a way to monetise surplus or stranded power and help fund local energy infrastructure.

Key considerations include:

• Energy access and reliability. The DRC has enormous untapped hydro capacity but limited grid reach and frequent supply constraints. Mining can compete with local demand, so projects must weigh community energy needs.
• Renewable angle. Hydro-based mining can be lower-carbon than fossil-fuelled operations, though real-world impact depends on how a project is run.
• Regulatory uncertainty and security. Reports that authorities have begun issuing licences to mining companies are not independently confirmed here and should be verified directly with the relevant ministry. Future rules on registration, energy use, taxation or environmental compliance could change the picture, and security conditions in some eastern mining regions are a serious practical concern.

Anyone considering a mining venture should obtain current local legal and energy-sector advice, since the framework is evolving and conditions vary sharply by region.

Remittances are a major source of income for many Congolese households, and the cost and speed of traditional transfers are a real pain point. Conventional money-transfer services often charge a mix of fixed fees and a percentage of the amount sent, and funds can take time to arrive after passing through several intermediaries.

Crypto is sometimes used as an alternative because transfers can settle quickly and, depending on the network and the off-ramp used, may carry lower costs than legacy corridors. The typical flow is: a sender abroad buys crypto, sends it to a recipient's wallet, and the recipient converts it to Congolese francs or US dollars, often via mobile money or a P2P trade. The trade-offs matter:

• Volatility. Crypto prices can move sharply; holding value in Bitcoin between sending and cashing out adds risk that stablecoins or fast conversion can reduce but not remove (and stablecoins carry their own issuer and counterparty risks).
• Off-ramp friction. Real savings depend heavily on conversion fees, exchange rates and the availability of a reliable local cash-out method.
• Technical and security demands. Both parties need basic wallet literacy, a connection, and care to avoid scams and address errors.

Crypto can be a useful remittance tool in the DRC's context, but it is not automatically cheaper or safer in every case. Compare the full end-to-end cost against established services before choosing.

The most concrete, verifiable development is the build-out of the broader digital-economy framework rather than a crypto-specific law:

• Implementing decrees of 11 March 2026. Two ministerial orders (Arretes n° 004 and n° 005) operationalised the 2023 Digital Code, setting authorisation and declaration regimes for digital services and provisionally delegating implementation to the ARPTC pending a dedicated digital regulator. These decrees are not crypto-specific.
• Reported crypto initiatives. Crypto-industry coverage has described a draft digital-asset bill (with DASP licensing), a possible Congolese-franc-linked stablecoin, mobile-money on-ramps from global exchanges, and exploratory tax measures. On current information these are proposals, pilots or reports rather than confirmed enacted law, and several specific figures (such as tax rates and reporting thresholds) trace back to secondary sources rather than official texts.
• Continued central-bank caution. The BCC's stance has remained one of warning the public about unauthorised crypto schemes while not formally licensing a domestic market. Its warnings trace back to a public notice of 9 November 2018 on the illegal collection of public savings through crypto, with later notices naming specific unlicensed operators (for example schemes described in Congolese reporting as World Cryptocurrency Exchange Incorporated, Standard Capital and Rathe Investissement Group). These interventions have been informational rather than a licensing framework.

Because the situation is fluid, treat any specific rule, figure or service as something to verify against current official sources before relying on it.

The central tension in the DRC is between strong grassroots demand for digital money and a regulatory framework that has not yet caught up. The main risks for consumers:

• No local consumer protection. Because there is no confirmed crypto-licensing regime, there is no domestic safety net if a platform collapses, is hacked or turns out to be fraudulent. The BCC has expressly warned about schemes promising excessive returns.
• Volatility. Crypto prices can rise and fall dramatically. Money you cannot afford to lose should not be exposed to that risk.
• Fraud and scams. Unsolicited investment offers, guaranteed-return promises and fake platforms are common. Verify website addresses and never share private keys or recovery phrases.
• Infrastructure limits. Power and internet reliability affect access and security, and a poor connection can complicate buying or cashing out when you need to.

Treat crypto as a high-risk asset, avoid promises of guaranteed or fast returns, and consider speaking with a qualified financial professional. This is not financial advice.

Because the DRC's crypto position is evolving and is often reported through secondary crypto sites, verify any important point against primary, official sources before acting:

• Central bank: the Banque Centrale du Congo, including its public notices (avis au public) on crypto-related schemes.
• Digital and telecoms regulator: the Autorite de Regulation de la Poste et des Telecommunications du Congo (ARPTC), which provisionally implements the Digital Code's digital-services regime.
• Legislation: the text of the 2023 Digital Code (Ordonnance-Loi n° 23/010) and related laws can be consulted via the Congolese legal repository Leganet.cd.

For wider context, see our country-by-country regulation hub. This page is general information as of 2026 and is not legal, tax or financial advice; confirm the current rules with the Banque Centrale du Congo or a qualified Congolese professional before making decisions.

Owning and trading cryptocurrency is not criminalised in the DRC, so it is broadly tolerated in practice, but crypto is not legal tender and there is no dedicated, in-force crypto statute. The Banque Centrale du Congo has publicly warned against unauthorised crypto savings schemes, and the market is largely unregulated with limited consumer protection. Users generally engage with crypto at their own risk. Confirm the current position with the Banque Centrale du Congo, as the framework is evolving. This is not legal advice.

No single authority has a clear statutory mandate over crypto-assets. The Banque Centrale du Congo (BCC), the central bank, is the primary authority over money and payments and has been the main official voice on crypto. The 2023 Digital Code creates a digital regulation authority and a digital-economy ministry, with implementation provisionally delegated to the telecoms regulator ARPTC, and the Ministry of Finance handles tax policy. A fully enacted, crypto-specific supervisory regime was not confirmed in force as of 2026.

As of 2026 there is no confirmed, in-force law that specifically licenses crypto exchanges or virtual-asset service providers in the DRC. The 2023 Digital Code and its March 2026 implementing decrees regulate digital services generally, not crypto trading, and commentators note they contain no crypto-specific provisions. Crypto-industry reports describe a proposed digital-asset bill with a DASP licence, but that is a proposal rather than confirmed law. Verify directly with the central bank or the digital regulator before assuming any licence applies.

There is no widely publicised, dedicated crypto tax code confirmed in force, so gains or income could in principle fall under general tax rules, though their application to crypto is unsettled. Crypto-industry coverage has referenced proposals such as a withholding tax of around 5% on larger crypto-to-fiat conversions, but these figures relate to proposals or drafts rather than a confirmed, enacted tax. Do not rely on any specific rate or threshold; verify with the Ministry of Finance or a qualified Congolese tax professional. This is not tax advice.

Mining is not specifically prohibited and is largely unregulated. The DRC's significant hydropower potential has supported some small-scale, hydro-powered mining, particularly in the east. Reports of licences being issued to mining companies should be verified directly with the relevant ministry. Because there is no confirmed dedicated mining law, future rules on registration, energy use, taxation or the environment could apply, and security conditions in some eastern regions are a real concern. Seek current local legal and energy-sector advice before starting.

No. The Banque Centrale du Congo has not enacted a general ban on owning or trading crypto. Its action has been to warn the public against unauthorised schemes that illegally collect public savings through crypto. A BCC public notice dated 9 November 2018 raised this concern, and later notices named specific unlicensed operators reported in Congolese media (such as schemes described as World Cryptocurrency Exchange Incorporated, Standard Capital and Rathe Investissement Group). These warnings are informational rather than a binding, crypto-specific law, and there is no confirmed domestic licensing regime. Check the BCC's avis au public for the latest notices. This is not legal advice.

Check primary official sources rather than relying on secondary crypto sites. Consult the Banque Centrale du Congo (bcc.cd), including its public notices on crypto schemes, and the digital and telecoms regulator ARPTC (arptc.gouv.cd). The text of the 2023 Digital Code and related laws can be consulted via the Congolese legal repository Leganet.cd. For any specific tax, licensing or compliance question, confirm with the relevant authority or a qualified Congolese professional. This is general information as of 2026, not legal advice.

Last updated: 2026-06-30.

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