Algeria: technology regulation at a glance

Framework: Law No. 25-10 of 24 July 2025 (amending AML/CFT Law No. 05-01 of 6 February 2005), building on Article 117 of Finance Law 2018 (Law No. 17-11); enforced by the Banque d'Algérie, the Banking Commission, the Financial Intelligence Unit (CTRF), and the Ministry of Justice.

Algeria operates one of the world's strictest crypto regimes. All virtual-asset activity — issuance, purchase, sale, use, possession, trading, custody, promotion, and mining — is prohibited under Law No. 25-10 of 24 July 2025, which upgraded the 2018 Finance Law ban into an explicitly criminal offence punishable by prison and fines. There is no licensing path for exchanges, stablecoins, custodians, or token issuers, and the Banque d'Algérie has instructed banks to detect and report any crypto-related activity.

Framework: National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (2024-2030), adopted by the AI Council on 8 December 2024; supported by amended personal data protection Law No. 25-11 (2025) and the National Cybersecurity Strategy 2025-2029

Algeria has no dedicated AI-specific law in force. Its primary AI governance instrument is the National AI Strategy 2024-2030, adopted in December 2024 by the government-appointed AI Council, which sets six strategic pillars and explicitly calls for developing a future legal AI framework. Binding AI-specific legislation is planned but not yet enacted; data protection Law No. 25-11 (July 2025) extends the existing 2018 personal data regime to address AI-related high-risk data processing requirements.

Framework: Law No. 18-07 of 10 June 2018 on the Protection of Individuals in Personal Data Processing (as amended by Law No. 25-11 of 24 July 2025), enforced by the National Authority for the Protection of Personal Data (ANPDP, Autorité Nationale de Protection des Données à Caractère Personnel)

Algeria enacted a comprehensive personal data protection law (Law 18-07) in 2018, which entered into force on 10 August 2023 with the operationalisation of the ANPDP as an independent supervisory authority. A significant 2025 amendment (Law 25-11) modernised the framework, aligning it more closely with GDPR by introducing mandatory Data Protection Officers, Data Protection Impact Assessments, 5-day breach notification, and expanded ANPDP oversight powers. The law applies to all public and private entities processing personal data in Algeria or targeting Algerian residents.

Framework: Bank of Algeria (Banque d'Algérie) under Monetary & Banking Law No. 23-09 (21 June 2023), with Règlement n° 25-02 (14 April 2025) and Instruction n° 06-2025 (17 August 2025) for Payment Service Providers, and Règlement n° 24-04 (13 October 2024) for digital banks

Algeria has a dedicated, in-force licensing regime for digital payments and fintech administered by the Bank of Algeria. The 2023 Monetary and Banking Law created the legal categories of Payment Service Provider (PSP) and digital bank, and these were operationalized by binding regulations and instructions issued in 2024-2025 that set authorization procedures, minimum capital, fund-segregation and consumer-protection rules. No dedicated open-banking or Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) framework yet exists.

Framework: Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa regime (mfa.gov.dz); Ordinance on Foreigners' Movement and Stay (DGSN); Work permit system administered by the Ministry of Labour and AAPI (Agence Algérienne de Promotion de l'Investissement)

Algeria offers no dedicated digital-nomad or remote-work visa, and no residency-by-investment (golden visa) programme. Foreign nationals are limited to a maximum 90-day stay per entry (cumulative 180 days/year) on tourist or business visas; longer stays tied to employment require an Algerian-employer-sponsored work permit, which is not available to self-employed freelancers working for foreign clients. No legislative proposal for a digital-nomad pathway has been announced as of May 2026.

Framework: Law No. 09-04 (2009) on ICT Crimes; Organic Law on Information (2023); Law on Audiovisual Activity (2024); Law on Written and Electronic Press (2024); ARPT (Telecommunications Regulatory Authority); National Authority for Prevention and Combating ICT Crimes (Decree 21-439/2021)

Algeria operates a multi-layered restrictive internet regime combining enacted laws that broadly criminalise online content deemed threatening to national security or public order with active administrative practices of website blocking and periodic internet shutdowns. The 2023-2024 media law package extended state regulatory authority to digital platforms, mandated data localisation, and empowered authorities to suspend online publications for up to 30 days. Systematic internet disruptions during national exams and the blocking of independent news outlets underscore the state's direct control over the online information environment.

Framework: Presidential Decree No. 20-05 (2020, amended 2025) establishing CNSSI/ANSSI; Law No. 09-04 (2009, amended 2016) on cybercrime; Law No. 18-07 (2018, amended by Law 25-11, 2025) on personal data protection; Presidential Decree No. 26-07 (2026) on cybersecurity units; National Cybersecurity Strategy 2025-2029 (Decree 25-321)

Algeria has built a layered cybersecurity regime across multiple instruments rather than a single comprehensive statute: a 2009 cybercrime law governs offences and ISP obligations; a 2020 presidential decree created the national governance bodies CNSSI and ANSSI; and a July 2025 amendment to the data-protection law introduced mandatory breach notification. In December 2025-January 2026, Algeria further tightened the framework by approving a five-year national cybersecurity strategy and mandating dedicated cybersecurity units inside all public institutions.

Framework: Law No. 22-18 of 24 July 2022 (Algerian Investment Code) and its implementing decrees; administered by AAPI (Agence Algérienne de Promotion de l'Investissement) and CNRC (Centre National du Registre du Commerce)

Algeria substantially liberalised foreign investment under its 2022 Investment Code, abolishing the blanket 51/49 local-majority rule for most productive sectors and creating a one-stop-shop regime through AAPI. Foreign investors may now own 100% in the majority of sectors, though the 51/49 rule is retained for strategic industries and for any company importing goods for resale, and the multi-step incorporation process (notarisation, CNRC registration, BOAL publication, tax ID) typically takes 2-4 weeks.