Belarus: technology regulation at a glance

Framework: Presidential Decree No. 8 'On Development of Digital Economy' (2017, in force 28 Mar 2018) as the foundational regime, now supplemented by Decree No. 19 'On Crypto Banks and Some Issues of Regulation of Digital Tokens' (signed 16 Jan 2026); supervised by the High-Technology Park (HTP) and the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus.

Crypto and digital tokens are explicitly legal in Belarus and have been regulated since Decree No. 8 (2017), which legalized token issuance, mining, exchange and ownership while channeling commercial activity through residents of the High-Technology Park (HTP). In January 2026 Decree No. 19 created a new 'crypto bank' regime, joint-stock companies that combine token services with banking under dual HTP/National Bank supervision, and in April 2026 authorities published an initial list of 26 permitted assets (incl. BTC, ETH, SOL, TON and stablecoins). The first crypto banks are expected to be licensed by summer 2026.

Framework: No AI-specific law in force; AI bill formally queued for 2026 legislative drafting; CIS Model Law on Artificial Intelligence Technologies (adopted April 2025, drafted by Belarus's United Institute of Informatics Problems) serves as the intended basis

As of mid-2026, Belarus has no enacted comprehensive or sectoral AI law. The government formally included an AI technology bill in the 2026 legislative agenda after submitting documentation to the National Center of Legal Information, and a 42-member cross-ministerial working group has been constituted to draft it. In parallel, UNDP-supported AI standards are being developed and the National Academy of Sciences has been designated the prospective sectoral AI regulator.

Framework: Law of the Republic of Belarus No. 99-Z 'On Personal Data Protection' of 7 May 2021 (in force 15 November 2021), supervised by the National Personal Data Protection Center (NPDPC / cpd.by)

Belarus enacted its first standalone, comprehensive personal data protection law (Law No. 99-Z) in May 2021, which came into force in November 2021. The law is broadly modelled on the GDPR, introducing operator/authorised-party concepts analogous to controller/processor, a full suite of data-subject rights, mandatory DPO appointment for legal entities and public bodies, breach notification obligations, and cross-border transfer rules. The National Personal Data Protection Center (NPDPC) is the independent supervisory authority empowered to audit compliance, issue binding prescriptions, and order cessation of unlawful processing.

Framework: Law of the Republic of Belarus No. 164-Z of 19 April 2022 "On Payment Systems and Payment Services" (in force from August 2022), administered by the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus (NBRB), which maintains the Registry of Payment Service Providers; e-money issuance is governed by separate NBRB banking regulation.

Belarus has a clear, in-force licensing/registration regime for payments overseen by the National Bank (NBRB). Law No. 164-Z (2022) established a Registry of Payment Service Providers covering banks plus new non-bank participants (payment aggregators, payment couriers and other providers), each subject to NBRB capital, AML, governance and operational requirements before they may operate. E-money may be issued only by resident banks holding NBRB permission, and the NBRB also runs the national ERIP rail and the new KROK instant-QR payment service.

Framework: Law of the Republic of Belarus on the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons; Presidential Decree No. 8 of 2017 (High-Tech Park 2.0 regime); Law on External Labour Migration

Belarus has no dedicated digital nomad or remote-work visa. Foreign remote workers can legally reside through employer-sponsored work permits combined with a temporary residence permit, or, most relevantly for IT workers, through the simplified permit regime available to employees of High-Tech Park (HTP) resident companies. Western sanctions imposed since 2020 create significant practical banking and travel barriers for many prospective relocators.

Framework: Law on Mass Media (2008, as amended 2021+); Law on Counteracting Extremism; Operations and Analytical Center (OAC) under the President; Ministry of Information blocking authority; Government Resolution No. 476 (September 2025); Criminal Procedure Code amendments (February 2025)

Belarus operates one of the most restrictive internet regimes in Europe, characterised by pervasive state censorship rather than a rights-protective online-safety framework. The Operations and Analytical Center (OAC) and Ministry of Information can block websites without a court order, and authorities routinely impose total or partial internet shutdowns during politically sensitive events. Criminal liability attaches to sharing, reposting, or even 'liking' content designated as extremist, with sentences of up to seven or more years in prison.

Framework: Law on Information Security (2016); Presidential Decree No. 40 'On Cyber Security' (2023); Law on Personal Data Protection No. 99-Z (2021); supervised by the Operational and Analytical Center (OAC) under the President of the Republic of Belarus

Belarus operates a multi-instrument cybersecurity regime built across a foundational 2016 Law on Information Security, a 2023 Presidential Decree No. 40 'On Cyber Security' establishing a National Cyber Security Center and sector-level cybersecurity centers, and a 2021 Personal Data Protection Law with mandatory breach notification. The Operational and Analytical Center (OAC) under the President serves as the principal national cybersecurity regulator, overseeing technical standards, incident reporting, and certification of security centers. Critical infrastructure is governed separately through a designated Critical Essential Objects of Informatisation (CEOI) framework with heightened obligations.

Framework: Civil Code of the Republic of Belarus; Law on Business Entities; Decree No. 1 of 16 January 2009 on State Registration; Unified State Register (USR/EGR) administered by the Ministry of Justice (egr.gov.by)

Belarus formally permits foreigners to register companies with minimal procedural barriers, an LLC can be incorporated in one business day with near-zero minimum capital and no general requirement for government approval. However, significant practical impediments exist: legislation since 2023 restricts property disposal and routes dividends for investors from 'unfriendly' states through regime-controlled accounts, foreign capital in banking is capped at 50% and in insurance at 30%, and broad EU and US sanctions severely constrain Western investors' ability to operate.