Archive · Ethiopia
All 3 archive entries on Ethiopia, most recent first.
On 1 March 2026, the National Bank of Ethiopia declared all birr-paired peer-to-peer cryptocurrency transactions illegal unless explicitly authorised, citing foreign exchange manipulation, fraud and the absence of anti-money laundering safeguards. The prohibition is drawn narrowly to birr-paired peer-to-peer transactions rather than digital assets generally, and authorisation is expressly contemplated: the NBE confirmed it is developing a comprehensive digital asset framework in consultation with global peer regulators. The ban follows Ethiopia's July 2024 reform programme and a roughly 200% birr devaluation, during which the NBE has been closing currency arbitrage channels, peer-to-peer crypto trading among them.
A year after Ethiopia enacted the Personal Data Protection Proclamation No.
Proclamation 1321/2024 carries penalties of up to 4% of turnover and prison terms, yet two years after its publication in the Federal Negarit Gazette, the ECA has issued none of its four planned implementing directives, opened no registration portal, and brought no enforcement action that could be identified. For controllers operating in Ethiopia, the preparation window remains open without a stated timeline.
Enforcement decisions, new laws and regulatory movement across African jurisdictions, in one brief. Free, and built to be forwarded to the colleague who needs it.
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