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Quick answer — Mozambique, 2026

• Legal: Legal to own and trade, not legal tender; service providers must register
• Tax: No crypto-specific tax; general income tax rules may apply
• Buying: Via international exchanges, P2P and mobile money

Mozambique has moved from a regulatory vacuum toward a defined framework for businesses that handle crypto. As of 2026, there is still no law that recognises Bitcoin as money or that bans private individuals from buying, holding or trading it. However, since late 2023 the central bank, the Banco de Moçambique, has required any company that provides virtual-asset services to register before operating. This makes Mozambique one of the African jurisdictions that regulate crypto service providers under anti-money-laundering rules, even though it has not adopted a comprehensive standalone digital-asset code.

The metical (MZN), issued by the Banco de Moçambique, remains the only legal tender. Cryptocurrency is treated as a virtual asset, not as currency. For ordinary users, crypto activity still largely happens through peer-to-peer (P2P) trading, international exchanges and mobile-money rails. This guide explains the legal status, the regulator, the licensing rules for exchanges and other providers, how tax and anti-money-laundering obligations apply, and the practical risks of using crypto in Mozambique.

This is general information current as of 2026 and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and enforcement change; always confirm your situation with the Banco de Moçambique, the Autoridade Tributária (tax authority) and a qualified local professional before acting. See also our broader crypto regulation guide.

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Owning and trading Bitcoin in Mozambique is not illegal for individuals. No statute criminalises buying, holding or selling cryptocurrency, and no law forces anyone to accept it. Two points are essential:

• Crypto is not legal tender. Only the metical (MZN), issued by the Banco de Moçambique, is legal currency. The central bank stated as far back as January 2018 that virtual currency such as Bitcoin has no legal standing and is not issued by the national monetary authority, so no merchant or institution is obliged to accept it.
• Businesses that provide crypto services ARE regulated. Since November 2023, any entity offering virtual-asset services in or into Mozambique must first register with the Banco de Moçambique. This is a genuine licensing-style requirement, not a grey area, and operating without it is an offence.

So the position is two-tier: personal use and ownership are permitted and unbanned, while commercial service provision is now subject to mandatory registration and anti-money-laundering oversight.

The lead authority is the Banco de Moçambique (the central bank). Under the anti-money-laundering framework it is responsible for regulating virtual-asset activity and for registering virtual-asset service providers (VASPs). Other bodies play supporting roles:

You can verify the central bank's role on the Banco de Moçambique AML/CFT supervision page and the financial intelligence unit at the GIFiM website.

Mozambique regulates crypto through its anti-money-laundering regime rather than through a dedicated crypto code. The main instruments are:

• Law 14/2023, of 28 August: the law on the prevention and combating of money laundering, terrorist financing and the financing of proliferation. It gives the Banco de Moçambique the mandate to regulate virtual-asset activity and to set the requirements for service providers.
• Aviso n.º 4/GBM/2023, of 14 September: the central-bank notice that approves the legal framework for registering virtual-asset service providers. It entered into force on 14 November 2023.
• Supporting regulations: including decrees and further central-bank notices that implement the anti-money-laundering law and define duties for reporting entities.

Mozambique is not in the European Union, so the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) Regulation does not apply here. Its framework instead reflects the global standards of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the regional body ESAAMLG. This area moved in 2026: Lei n.º 15/2026, de 2 de Julho replaced the payments regime that had run since 2008 and entered into force in August 2026, so treat any summary as a snapshot and confirm the current text of each instrument with the central bank.

This is the area where Mozambique has the clearest rules. Under Aviso n.º 4/GBM/2023, virtual-asset service providers must register with the Banco de Moçambique before operating. The framework covers entities that, alone or alongside other activities, carry out one or more of the following:

• Exchanging virtual assets for fiat currency or for other virtual assets;
• Transferring virtual assets;
• Custody or administration of virtual assets, or of instruments that allow control over them;
• Providing financial services connected to the offer or sale of a virtual asset;
• Any other activity involving virtual assets defined by the central bank.

Key features reported for the regime include:

• Foreign providers are also caught. A foreign VASP whose services can be subscribed to or accessed by people resident in Mozambique, or that has staff or management located there, is subject to prior authorisation from the central bank.
• Time limit to start. A registered provider must begin its activity within a set period after the favourable decision, or the registration can lapse.
• Penalties for non-compliance. Operating without the required registration is treated as an offence subject to fines. Under Law 14/2023, breaches are punishable by fines of 2,000,000 to 10,000,000 MZN for legal entities and 600,000 to 6,000,000 MZN for individuals. Published figures differ and none quote the statutory provision directly: JLA Advogados puts the fines for carrying on virtual-asset activities without registration at 2,000,000 to 10,000,000 meticais for legal entities and 600,000 to 6,000,000 meticais for individuals, with accessory measures available on top, while another Mozambican advisory gives a single range of 300,000 to 10,000,000 meticais. Confirm the current amounts and procedure directly with the central bank, as figures and rules can be updated.

If you are a business, check the official notice and the central bank's Normativos (regulations) archive before launching any crypto service, and seek local legal advice.

Mozambique has no crypto-specific tax law, but that does not mean crypto is tax-free. General tax principles apply, so gains and income connected to virtual assets can be taxable:

• Individuals may be taxed under Personal Income Tax (IRPS) where crypto activity amounts to a business or professional activity generating profit.
• Companies are subject to Corporate Income Tax (IRPC) on gains from crypto transactions, including exchanging crypto for fiat, for other crypto, or for goods and services.
• Mining, staking and similar activities are generally treated as economic activities producing taxable income under the same general rules, with no special crypto regime.

The wider tax code changed at the start of 2026. A package of laws all dated 29 December 2025 took effect on 1 January 2026 and brought digital goods and services into scope: Law 10/2025 amended the VAT code, Law 12/2025 amended the Corporate Income Tax code (IRPC), and Law 11/2025 amended the Personal Income Tax code (IRPS). Concrete provisions now in force include a 16% standard VAT on digital goods and services supplied to consumers in Mozambique, including by non-resident suppliers with no permanent establishment; a 10% withholding tax on income of non-residents from the transfer of digital goods or the provision of digital services; and autonomous taxation of corporate capital gains at 32%. The statute defines “digital goods” broadly as intangibles delivered or represented electronically that can be owned, transferred, licensed or controlled by digital means, a definition wide enough that it may capture virtual assets. The rules bite where the acquirer is domiciled or established in Mozambique regardless of where the supplier sits, and for a non-resident supplier the Mozambican acquirer accounts for the 16% VAT by self-assessment, or auto-liquidação. No published guidance applies this to crypto trading or exchange fees, so the point stays untested. Implementing regulations are still expected, and no source publishes a deadline for them: EY describes the withholding treatment of digital service supplies only as a matter expected to be regulated, and no implementing regulation covering digital goods and services could be found as of early August 2026. Because the position is unsettled and fact-specific, confirm your obligations with the Autoridade Tributária de Moçambique and a qualified tax adviser. For background, see our crypto taxes guide.

Crypto in Mozambique sits squarely inside the anti-money-laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist-financing (CFT) framework established by Law 14/2023. Under this regime:

• Registered VASPs are reporting entities. Like banks and other financial institutions, they are expected to apply customer due diligence, identify and verify clients (KYC), keep records, and report suspicious transactions.
• GIFiM is the reporting hub. Suspicious-transaction reports and certain asset-freeze actions flow to the Gabinete de Informação Financeira de Moçambique, the financial intelligence unit.
• Banks scrutinise crypto flows. Even outside dedicated crypto firms, regulated banks apply AML controls, so transfers linked to exchanges may be questioned, delayed or limited.

For ordinary users, the practical effect is that any reputable platform you use will require identity verification, and large or unusual crypto-related bank movements may attract compliance checks. The framework is designed to align with FATF standards on virtual assets and VASPs.

For individuals, there is no ban on buying crypto, and no domestic retail platform is singled out for approval. Most users rely on:

• International exchanges that accept Mozambican users, subject to each platform's own KYC onboarding.
• Peer-to-peer (P2P) marketplaces, where buyers and sellers trade directly, often settling in metical via bank transfer or mobile money.
• Mobile-money rails, widely used in Mozambique, which frequently act as the on/off-ramp between local currency and crypto.

Practical points to keep in mind:

• Use registered or reputable providers. A provider serving Mozambican residents should be registered with or authorised by the central bank; an unregistered local operator may be acting unlawfully.
• Banking access can be inconsistent. Some banks flag or restrict crypto-linked transfers, so expect occasional friction at the fiat on/off-ramp.
• Foreign-exchange rules matter. Mozambique maintains currency controls, so moving value across borders to fund or cash out of crypto can engage those rules. Check current requirements before transacting at scale.
• Keep records. Save transaction details for your own accounting and any tax obligations.

There is no law that specifically prohibits cryptocurrency mining in Mozambique, and none that grants it a special licence or incentive. Mining is therefore permitted by default but falls under general business, electricity, import and environmental rules rather than a tailored framework.

The country's distinctive factor is energy. Mozambique is a significant hydropower producer and exports electricity regionally, which in theory makes lower-cost, lower-carbon power attractive for energy-intensive mining. Caveats apply:

• Electricity access and reliability vary, and grid capacity is prioritised for domestic supply and exports.
• No dedicated mining policy exists, so tariffs, permits, equipment-import duties and environmental obligations are governed by general regulations.
• If mining is run as a business, income is taxable under the general corporate or personal income tax rules, and a commercial crypto-mining operation that also provides virtual-asset services could trigger the VASP registration requirement.

Anyone planning a commercial operation should clarify electricity terms, business registration, import rules and any registration duties with the relevant authorities and a local adviser before committing capital.

The most important recent change is the shift from warnings to actual regulation of providers:

• 2018: The Banco de Moçambique issued a public alert that Bitcoin has no legal standing, is not supervised by the central bank, and exposes users to fraud and money-laundering risks.
• 2023: Law 14/2023 modernised the anti-money-laundering regime and brought virtual assets within scope. The central bank then issued Aviso n.º 4/GBM/2023, creating a mandatory registration framework for virtual-asset service providers that took effect on 14 November 2023.
• 2025: The Banco de Moçambique rolled out the National Financial Inclusion Strategy 2025-2031 (ENIF) in August 2025, a plan built around inclusive digitalisation, consumer protection and responsible use of digital financial services. Later in 2025 the central bank opened the 7th edition of its Regulatory Sandbox, with applications due by 31 October 2025 and a participation period of about nine months starting in February 2026. The sandbox is a general fintech initiative aimed at expanding financial access, not a crypto-specific programme, but it is the channel through which the central bank tests new digital-finance solutions.
• 2026: Tax reforms enacted in late 2025 took effect on 1 January 2026: Law 10/2025 (VAT), Law 12/2025 (corporate income tax, IRPC) and Law 11/2025 (personal income tax, IRPS). They brought digital goods and services into the tax base, with a 16% VAT on digital supplies to consumers (including by non-resident providers), a 10% withholding tax on non-residents' digital-service income, and 32% autonomous taxation of corporate capital gains. The broad statutory definition of “digital goods” may capture virtual assets, so crypto-related digital-service income could fall in scope, though application to crypto is untested and implementing regulations are still pending.

Mozambique has not adopted a single comprehensive crypto law, and further guidance may follow. Watch the central bank's Normativos archive for new notices, and confirm any major decision against primary sources.

Crypto sits within a wider push to expand digital finance in Mozambique. In August 2025 the Banco de Moçambique rolled out the National Financial Inclusion Strategy 2025-2031 (ENIF), which is organised around inclusive digitalisation, consumer protection, and responsible use and quality of financial services. Mobile money is central to this effort and is the main way many people move value, which also makes it the common on/off-ramp for crypto.

To test new digital-finance products under supervision, the central bank runs a Regulatory Sandbox. It opened the 7th edition in 2025, with applications due by 31 October 2025 and a participation period of about nine months starting in February 2026. The sandbox invites credit institutions, payment providers, fintechs and startups to trial innovative solutions in a controlled setting. Two points matter for crypto users:

• The sandbox is a general financial-inclusion initiative, not a crypto licensing route. Taking part in it does not by itself authorise a firm to provide virtual-asset services; that still requires registration under Aviso n.º 4/GBM/2023.
• It signals that the central bank is actively working on digital-finance rules, so further guidance affecting crypto-adjacent services could follow. Confirm any current programme details on the central bank's website.

You can read about the initiative on the Banco de Moçambique Regulatory Sandbox page.

Even with provider registration, crypto in Mozambique carries significant risk for users:

• No dedicated investor-protection scheme. Registration is mainly an anti-money-laundering and supervisory measure; it does not guarantee compensation if a platform fails or you are defrauded.
• Fraud and scams. The central bank has repeatedly warned about fake investment platforms and “guaranteed return” schemes, which have caused real losses. Treat unsolicited offers and impersonators with extreme caution.
• Volatility and self-custody errors. Crypto prices can move sharply, and holding assets yourself means full responsibility for your keys; lost keys or scams mean lost funds.
• Banking and FX friction. Converting between crypto and metical can be inconsistent and intersects with currency controls.
• Unregistered operators. A local provider that is not registered with the central bank may be operating illegally and offers no reliable recourse.

Protect yourself by using registered or well-established platforms, enabling strong security and two-factor authentication, keeping recovery phrases offline, and never investing more than you can afford to lose. This is not financial advice.

Because crypto rules in Mozambique are evolving, always confirm the current position with primary sources rather than third-party summaries. The most authoritative references are:

• Banco de Moçambique - AML/CFT supervision, which sets out the central bank's role over virtual-asset service providers and the relevant laws and notices.
• Banco de Moçambique - Normativos (regulations archive), where official notices such as Aviso n.º 4/GBM/2023 are published.
• GIFiM - Gabinete de Informação Financeira de Moçambique, the financial intelligence unit responsible for AML/CFT.
• Autoridade Tributária de Moçambique, for tax questions.

This guide is general information current as of 2026 and is not legal advice; readers should verify their specific situation with the Banco de Moçambique and a qualified local professional. For more, see our country regulation hub.

Facts reviewed: 3 August 2026. Page updated: 3 August 2026.

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