Ghana Legalizes Cryptocurrency; Central Bank to Regulate and License Providers
Ghana's government has officially legalized cryptocurrency trading and given the Bank of Ghana authority to regulate and license crypto service providers, the Central Bank Governor confirmed on Dec. 22, 2025. The measure is framed as a tool to curb fraud and mitigate systemic risks by bringing exchanges, wallet providers and other crypto businesses under formal oversight and licensing requirements.
The change matters because it creates a clearer compliance path for firms and could encourage greater institutional participation and fintech innovation in Ghana's digital-asset market, while raising operational and KYC/AML obligations for operators. Regionally, Ghana joins a growing number of African countries formalizing crypto rules — a development that may boost investor confidence but also shifts the burden onto regulators to enforce protections without stifling innovation.