Botswana vs Somalia
Crypto regulation comparison
Botswana
Somalia
Botswana passed the Virtual Assets Act in 2022, first African country to issue crypto licenses. NBFIRA supervises VASPs. 4 licensed entities as of 2024. Penalties up to P250,000 or 5 years imprisonment.
Somalia has no specific cryptocurrency regulation. The fragmented governance structure makes unified regulation extremely difficult. Mobile money dominates the financial landscape.
Key Points
- Virtual Assets Act enacted in 2022, effective Feb 22, 2022
- First African country to issue crypto licenses via NBFIRA
- 4 licensed VASPs as of December 2024
- Bank of Botswana assesses domestic crypto risks as minimal
- Unregistered crypto dealers face fines up to P250,000 or imprisonment
Key Points
- No specific cryptocurrency legislation
- Fragmented governance limits regulatory development
- Mobile money dominates informal financial system
- Very limited formal financial infrastructure
- No licensing framework for crypto services