Is Crypto Legal In Central African Republic?

Cryptocurrency is no longer legal tender in the Central African Republic after parliament unanimously repealed the legislation on March 23, 2023. The country had initially adopted Bitcoin as legal tender in April 2022, becoming the second nation globally and the first in Africa to do so (1). However, the original 2022 law requiring sellers to accept cryptocurrencies as payment was amended following controversy with partners in the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa, effectively reversing the legal tender status (1).

The brief adoption of cryptocurrency as legal tender created significant tensions with regional financial institutions, particularly the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), which serves as the regional central bank for CEMAC member states. The measure violated the CEMAC Treaty and conflicted with the Banking Commission's ban on using crypto for financial transactions throughout the CEMAC region (2). The International Monetary Fund warned that if crypto assets are held or accepted by governments as means of payment, it could put public finances at risk and undermine monetary policy effectiveness (2).

"The Central African Republic is the first country in Africa, and the second in the world after El Salvador to designate Bitcoin as a legal tender. The measure has put the country at odds with the Bank of Central African States."

During its cryptocurrency experiment, the Central African Republic launched the Sango Coin initiative in July 2022, which the Constitutional Court subsequently ruled unconstitutional in August 2022. The court blocked purchases of citizenship, e-residency, and land using the government-backed cryptocurrency, determining that nationality should not have a market price and residency required physical presence (1). Despite the reversal of legal tender status, the country continues exploring blockchain technology for land tokenization projects, though comprehensive regulatory frameworks remain absent (2).

Source:
https://www.centralbanking.com/central-banks/currency/digital-currencies/7956294/car-to-drop-crypto-as-legal-tender
https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2022/11/22/africas-growing-crypto-market-needs-better-regulations

Last updated: 18-10-2025 Disclaimer: This article does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.