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

Legal framework

No dedicated crypto/digital-asset law; Banco de Moçambique (central bank) exercises general financial oversight; general income-tax (IRPS/IRPC) and capital-markets legislation apply by default in the absence of crypto-specific rules

Status by sub-area

• Stablecoins

  None

  No stablecoin-specific legislation or guidance exists in Mozambique. Stablecoins fall into the broader unregulated crypto space; there are no rules on issuance, reserve backing, redemption rights, or attestation.

  Still pending: Stablecoin issuance, reserve backing, and redemption rules not established

• Exchanges / VASP

  None

  There is no VASP licensing or exchange registration regime in Mozambique. The Banco de Moçambique does not regulate crypto exchanges; no locally based exchange has been licensed and operations on foreign platforms are explicitly at users' own risk.

  Still pending: VASP licensing and exchange registration framework not established

• Token Offerings

  None

  Mozambique has no framework for token sales, ICOs, or STOs. No securities-law treatment specific to digital tokens has been articulated and no prospectus or disclosure requirements apply to token offerings.

  Still pending: Token offering and STO framework and securities-law treatment not established

• Custody

  None

  No custody-specific rules govern the holding of client crypto assets in Mozambique. There are no segregation, qualified-custodian, proof-of-reserves, or insurance requirements for any entity holding digital assets on behalf of third parties.

  Still pending: Custody, segregation, and proof-of-reserves requirements not established

• DeFi

  None

  DeFi protocols, front-ends, and DAOs are not addressed in any Mozambican regulation. The Banco de Moçambique has not published any guidance on decentralised finance and no enforcement actions in this space have been recorded.

  Still pending: DeFi protocol regulation and guidance not published

• Tax

  Partial

  Mozambique has no dedicated crypto tax legislation. Gains from crypto transactions are in principle captured by general Corporate Income Tax (IRPC, 32%) or Personal Income Tax (IRPS, progressive to 32%) rules. No specific treatment exists for staking, airdrops, or mining; from 1 January 2026 standard 16% VAT applies to B2C digital services.

  Still pending: Dedicated crypto tax treatment for staking, mining, airdrops not established

Key points: crypto & digital assets in Mozambique

1. 01No dedicated crypto legal framework

   Mozambique has enacted no legislation governing cryptocurrencies, digital assets, token offerings, or VASPs. Crypto is neither explicitly banned nor formally licensed, leaving activities in a legal vacuum governed only by general financial and tax law.

   freemanlaw.com cms.law

2. 02Central bank cautionary stance

   The Banco de Moçambique has stated since at least 2018 that it does not regulate or monitor cryptocurrency transactions and that operations on foreign-domiciled platforms are carried out entirely at the user's own risk, with no investor protection.

   freemanlaw.com bancomoc.mz

3. 03FATF grey-list exit, October 2025

   The FATF removed Mozambique from its increased-monitoring list in October 2025, recognising significant AML/CFT reforms. This improves the country's cross-border financial standing and raises supervisory expectations for fintechs and digital platforms, but does not create crypto-specific rules.

   fatf-gafi.org fatf-gafi.org

4. 04General tax law applies to crypto gains by default

   Mozambique's tax code contains no provisions specific to crypto assets or NFTs. CMS Law confirmed that any gain from crypto transactions is theoretically captured by general Corporate Income Tax (IRPC, 32%) or Personal Income Tax (IRPS, progressive to 32%) provisions.

   cms.law taxsummaries.pwc.com

5. 05Fintech regulatory sandbox

   The Banco de Moçambique established a regulatory sandbox in 2018 allowing fintech companies to test innovative solutions in a supervised environment. No crypto-specific initiative within the sandbox has been publicly reported.

   furtherafrica.com

6. 06Central bank CBDC research and governor's crypto acknowledgement

   The Banco de Moçambique published a working paper in May 2023 on CBDC implications for financial stability, and its governor has publicly flagged the gap between crypto-asset growth and African regulators' capacity to respond, calling for strengthened technical capacity and international cooperation.

   bancomoc.mz financialafrik.com

Sources

1. 1.freemanlaw.com/cryptocurrency/mozambique/
2. 2.cms.law/en/int/expert-guides/cms-expert-guide-on-taxation-of-crypto-assets/mo
3. 3.practiceguides.chambers.com/practice-guides/banking-regulation-2026/mozambique
4. 4.fatf-gafi.org/en/countries/detail/Mozambique.html
5. 5.fatf-gafi.org/en/publications/High-risk-and-other-monitored-jurisdictions/increased
6. 6.bancomoc.mz/en/areas-of-expertise/licensing/licensing-of-institutions/
7. 7.bancomoc.mz/en/areas-of-expertise/licensing/foreign-exchange-licensing-and-contro
8. 8.furtherafrica.com/2025/11/11/regulatory-reforms-mozambique/
9. 9.taxsummaries.pwc.com/mozambique/individual/income-determination
10. 10.vatcalc.com/mozambique/mozambique-vat-on-b2c-digital-services/
11. 11.bancomoc.mz/media/cxtdlaat/artigo_moeda-digital-do-banco-central-implica%C3%A7%C3
12. 12.financialafrik.com/en/2026/05/11/crypto-assets-the-main-lessons-from-african-central-ban