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Is crypto legal in Cape Verde? Rules & regulation (2026)

Crypto is developing in Cape Verde.

Cape Verde enacted Law No. 30/X/2023 on 21 June 2023, which legalises virtual-asset activity subject to mandatory prior registration with the Banco de Cabo Verde and full AML/CFT compliance. In 2024 BCV published a consultation draft Aviso specifying the detailed registration requirements for Virtual Asset Service Providers (PSAVs); that notice had not yet been finalised as of mid-2025. Sub-sector rules for stablecoins, custody, token offerings, DeFi and crypto taxation remain absent or unclear.

Last verified Official sources first · MethodologyCompare Cape Verde with other countries

Legal framework

Law No. 30/X/2023 of 21 June 2023 (virtual-asset services & digital banks); Banco de Cabo Verde (BCV) as supervisory authority; 2024 BCV draft Aviso on PSAV registration

Status by sub-area

  • Exchanges / VASP

    Partial

    Law 30/X/2023 requires mandatory prior registration with BCV for all entities offering virtual-asset services professionally; AML/CFT obligations apply. A detailed draft Aviso on registration procedures was issued by BCV in 2024 but remained in consultation and had not been finalised.

    Still pending: BCV Aviso on VASP registration procedures issued in draft (2024), finalisation pending

  • Stablecoins

    None

    Law 30/X/2023 defines virtual assets broadly and would encompass stablecoins, but no dedicated stablecoin-specific rules (reserve requirements, audit attestation, redemption rights) have been enacted or proposed in Cape Verde.

    Still pending: No dedicated stablecoin regulations; reserve, audit, redemption requirements absent

  • Token Offerings

    None

    No specific framework for token sales, ICOs, or STOs has been enacted in Cape Verde. There is no securities-law classification, prospectus requirement, or investor-protection regime specific to token offerings.

    Still pending: No framework for token sales, ICOs, STOs; securities classification and prospectus rules absent

  • Custody

    None

    No dedicated custody rules (segregation of client assets, qualified-custodian standards, proof-of-reserves, or insurance requirements) have been established in Cape Verde beyond the general VASP AML/CFT registration obligation.

    Still pending: No custody rules; client-asset segregation, qualified-custodian, proof-of-reserves standards absent

  • DeFi

    None

    Cape Verde has issued no regulatory guidance on decentralised finance, decentralised protocols, front-end liability, or DAO treatment. The existing VASP registration framework is directed at centralised service providers.

    Still pending: No regulatory guidance on DeFi protocols, front-end liability, or DAO treatment

  • Tax

    Unclear

    Cape Verde has no dedicated crypto-tax legislation. Gains from crypto disposals may in principle be subject to general capital-gains tax, but the Agência de Rendimentos e Contribuições (ARC) has not issued formal guidance on income classification, VAT treatment, or reporting obligations for crypto assets.

    Still pending: ARC formal guidance absent on crypto income classification, VAT treatment, reporting obligations

Key points: crypto & digital assets in Cape Verde

  1. Law 30/X/2023, foundational act

    Enacted 21 June 2023, the law defines virtual assets as any digital value representation not linked to fiat currency, legalises their use, and mandates prior registration with BCV for any entity providing virtual-asset services professionally in Cape Verde.

    lexology.com bcv.cv

  2. BCV as VASP supervisor

    Banco de Cabo Verde is designated as the competent authority for verifying AML/CFT compliance by all virtual-asset service providers; non-registered operation is subject to sanctions under Law No. 38/VII/2009 as amended.

    bcv.cv

  3. 2024 draft PSAV registration Aviso

    In 2024 BCV circulated a consultation draft Aviso detailing documentation and procedural requirements for PSAV registration, including identification of beneficial owners and re-registration obligations when activity scope expands or higher-risk jurisdictions are added.

    bcv.cv

  4. Digital banks co-regulated

    Law 30/X/2023 simultaneously introduced a digital-bank licence; digital banks are subject to the same capital requirements, risk management, and supervisory duties as conventional banks, with BCV retaining discretion to set specific market-access conditions.

    lexology.com

  5. AML/CFT obligations

    All VASPs must comply with Cape Verde's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist-financing legislation; BCV enforces these obligations as the designated supervisory authority for the sector.

    bcv.cv lexology.com

  6. Crypto taxation, no dedicated rules

    No specific legislation addresses crypto taxation in Cape Verde; gains may in principle fall under general capital-gains provisions, but the tax authority has not issued formal guidance, leaving treatment uncertain.

    bydfi.com freemanlaw.com

Sources

  1. lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=b613da18-f324-4bd7-9a19-4213f475ae8f
  2. bcv.cv/pt/O%20Banco/Sala%20de%20Imprensa/Arquivo/Documents/2024/Projeto%20de
  3. bcv.cv/en/Pages/Homepage.aspx
  4. freemanlaw.com/cryptocurrency/cape-verde/
  5. bydfi.com/en/questions/what-are-the-tax-implications-of-using-cryptocurrencies-
  6. prifinance.com/en/cape-verde-cryptocurrency-license/
  7. bcv.cv/pt/Supervisao/MicroPrudencial/Bancos 2/Fiscalização/Paginas/Fiscaliza

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Orientation, not legal advice: verify against the primary sources linked above. Last verified 25 May 2026. Methodology & how to cite · State of Technology Regulation 2026