Subscribe to our Newsletter to receive the latest updates on our content. By tapping the “Subscribe” button you will be redirected to subscription page. Subscription is free.
Law No.023/2026 of 25/05/2026 regulating virtual asset business (the Law) was published in Rwanda’s Official Gazette on 28 May 2026. The Law establishes a dedicated framework for the licensing, supervision and regulation of virtual asset businesses in Rwanda.
It marks a significant shift from a period of regulatory caution, during which virtual assets were generally treated as unregulated and high-risk, towards a formal regime for licensed and supervised participation in the digital asset economy.
2 November 26
Other Insights:
The Law is not a blanket endorsement of crypto-assets as currency. Rather, it creates a regulated market entry framework for virtual asset businesses, while preserving safeguards around money laundering (ML), terrorist financing (TF), proliferation financing (PF), consumer and investor protection, market integrity, financial stability and innovation.
The Law regulating virtual asset businesses represents a major step in Rwanda’s digital finance regulatory architecture. It moves Rwanda from regulatory caution to regulated participation, creating a pathway for licensed virtual asset businesses while maintaining firm controls over payment use, high-risk infrastructure, market conduct and financial crime risks.
The Law’s success will depend on implementation. If the forthcoming regulations are clear, proportionate and commercially workable, Rwanda could position itself as a credible regional hub for compliant virtual asset businesses, tokenisation projects and digital finance innovation. If the requirements are too burdensome or unclear, however, the framework may create certainty on paper while limiting market participation in practice.
Should you have any questions regarding Kenya’s carbon market economy, please do not hesitate to contact Emmanuel Muragijimana or Tamara Munya.
_____________________
This article was first published in AVCA’s Legal and Regulatory Bulletin, Issue 12.