Zimbabwe Central Bank Unit Mandates VASP Registration Under New Crypto Regulatory Framework

According to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Financial Intelligence Unit, on June 16, the regulatory body issued a directive requiring all virtual asset service providers to formally register for anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing compliance under Statutory Instrument 99 of 2026. The framework, enacted on June 10, applies to any entity providing cryptocurrency exchange, custody, or related financial services.

The FIU emphasized that VASP registration is strictly for monitoring purposes and does not grant firms a commercial license to operate. VASPs must independently obtain necessary operational approvals from other relevant authorities, such as the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe or the Securities and Exchange Commission, depending on their business models.