Is crypto legal in Angola? Rules & regulation (2026)

Legal framework

Lei n.º 3/24 de 10 de abril (Legal Regime on the Prohibition of Mining of Cryptocurrencies and Other Virtual Assets); Banco Nacional de Angola (BNA) as sole monetary authority; Comissão do Mercado de Capitais (CMC) for any securities-like tokens. No comprehensive VASP licensing framework yet in force.

Status by sub-area

• Stablecoins

  None

  No legal framework authorizes or governs stablecoin issuance, reserve backing, or redemption in Angola. The BNA, as sole monetary authority, has only indicated future work on virtual-asset rules.

• Exchanges / VASP

  None

  Angola has no dedicated licensing or registration regime for crypto exchanges or virtual-asset service providers. Some activities could incidentally require BNA or CMC authorization under existing payments or securities law.

• Token Offerings

  Unclear

  There is no crypto-specific regime for ICOs/STOs. Where a token qualifies as a security or investment instrument, the CMC's existing capital-markets framework could apply, but no dedicated guidance exists.

• Custody

  None

  No rules govern custody or safeguarding of client crypto assets — no segregation, qualified-custodian, proof-of-reserves, or insurance requirements are in force.

• DeFi

  None

  There is no specific regulatory treatment of DeFi protocols, front-ends, or DAOs in Angola. The only directly relevant in-force measure is the criminal prohibition on mining of virtual assets.

• Tax

  Unclear

  Angola's tax legislation does not explicitly address cryptocurrency. No official guidance specifies capital-gains, income, or VAT treatment of crypto; general tax principles would presumably apply but are not authoritatively defined for digital assets.

Key points: crypto & digital assets in Angola

1. 01Mining banned and criminalized

   Lei n.º 3/24 (in force 10 April 2024) prohibits mining of cryptocurrencies and other virtual assets across the national territory. Mining is punishable by 3-12 years' imprisonment; mere possession of mining hardware/infrastructure carries 1-5 years.

   lex.ao cmc.ao

2. 02Not legal tender

   Issuance and circulation of currency, physical or digital, is the exclusive competence of the Banco Nacional de Angola; cryptocurrencies are not recognized as legal tender.

   cmc.ao bna.ao

3. 03Rationale: energy and financial-crime concerns

   The prohibition was justified by protection of the national electrical system from mining's intensive power consumption and by anti-money-laundering / counter-terrorism-financing objectives and legal certainty.

   parlamento.ao governo.gov.ao

4. 04No VASP / exchange licensing regime yet

   Beyond the mining ban, Angola has not implemented a dedicated licensing framework for exchanges, brokers, or custodians. Activities amounting to payment services, e-money, or financial intermediation could require BNA authorization, and securities-like token offerings could fall under CMC supervision.

   cmc.ao bna.ao

5. 05Regulation under preparation

   The BNA has publicly indicated it is working on legal/regulatory instruments for virtual assets and virtual-asset service providers, and has discussed studying a central-bank digital currency (CBDC).

   bna.ao governo.gov.ao

6. 06Enforcement is active

   Following the ban, INTERPOL coordinated with Angolan authorities to dismantle illegal mining centers and seize equipment, signaling that the prohibition is being enforced rather than dormant.

   news.bloomberglaw.com

Sources

1. 1.lex.ao/docs/assembleia-nacional/2024/lei-n-o-3-24-de-10-de-abril/
2. 2.cmc.ao/sites/default/files/2024-08/Lei%20n.%C2%BA%203-24,%20de%2010%20de%20A
3. 3.parlamento.ao/Slider_20214
4. 4.bna.ao/
5. 5.cmc.ao/pt-pt
6. 6.governo.gov.ao/noticias/857/governo/proposta-de-lei/regime-juridico-sobre-mineracao-
7. 7.news.bloomberglaw.com/crypto/angola-parliament-approves-ban-on-crypto-mining-angop-says