Ethiopia vs Morocco
Crypto regulation comparison
Ethiopia
Morocco
Ethiopia's Proclamation No. 1359/2024 explicitly prohibits cryptocurrency for payment transactions but allows the NBE to issue future guidelines on digital assets. Crypto mining is legal and actively growing, with Ethiopia emerging as a major Bitcoin mining destination leveraging hydroelectric power. A comprehensive regulatory framework is under development.
Morocco's central bank (Bank Al-Maghrib) banned cryptocurrency transactions in 2017, making it illegal for financial institutions to process crypto payments. Despite the ban, Morocco has one of the highest crypto adoption rates in Africa. The government has been exploring a potential regulatory framework, with Bank Al-Maghrib reportedly studying a CBDC and reconsidering its crypto stance.
Key Points
- Proclamation No. 1359/2024 prohibits cryptocurrency for payment transactions
- NBE authorized to issue future directives on crypto assets and CBDCs
- Crypto mining is legal and rapidly expanding, leveraging hydroelectric power
- Ethiopia has become one of the fastest-growing Bitcoin mining destinations globally
- Comprehensive digital asset regulatory framework under development
Key Points
- Bank Al-Maghrib banned crypto transactions for financial institutions in 2017
- Crypto ownership is technically in a legal gray area; trading happens via P2P
- Morocco ranks among the top crypto adopters in Africa despite the ban
- Government exploring regulatory framework and potential CBDC
- No crypto taxation framework exists due to the ban