Botswana — crypto regulation

Status: legal · Last reviewed 2026-11-05

Early-stage but active regulatory environment. The Virtual Assets Act 2025 requires NBFIRA licensing for any virtual asset business; operating unlicensed is a criminal offence. As of Sep 2026 NBFIRA lists seven licensed VASPs, including Yellow Card, Kalahari Exchange and Xago Technologies, and warns the public against unlicensed online platforms. Bank of Botswana sees little domestic crypto risk but backs pre-emptive regulation.

Legislation

• Virtual Assets Act (Act 4 of 2025) (2025)
• NBFIRA Virtual Asset Service Provider Licensing Requirements (2022)
• Financial Intelligence Act (Amended) — AML/CFT Compliance (2022)