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A major shift in United States crypto policy has reshaped global digital asset adoption trends.
The Trump administration moved to position the US as a global hub for cryptocurrencies.
That shift was formalised with the passage of the GENIUS Act in July 2025.
The legislation ended years of regulatory uncertainty around digital assets.
US clarity triggered a global race for crypto capital and talent.
African nations moved quickly to avoid economic isolation.
Several countries dismantled restrictive or hostile crypto frameworks.
Governments began reframing crypto as a financial innovation tool.
Cross-border payments and value storage became key policy drivers.
Ghana passed the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act in December 2025.
The law legalised an estimated $3 billion annual crypto market.
Oversight was split between the central bank and securities regulator.
Ghana adopted a phased rollout through 2026.
Mandatory registration and licensing requirements were introduced.
Cybersecurity audits and capital standards were included.
Nigeria institutionalised crypto under the Investments and Securities Act 2025.
Virtual assets were formally recognised as securities.
Regulatory authority was consolidated under Nigeria’s SEC.
Nigeria also passed a comprehensive crypto tax framework.
Digital asset gains became subject to income tax.
Kenya implemented a dual oversight model in late 2025.
The central bank oversees payments and stablecoins.
The capital markets authority licenses exchanges.
South Africa accelerated reforms after being grey-listed by FATF.
Crypto exchange licensing began in 2024.
A hard licensing deadline was enforced in June 2025.
Hundreds of VASP applications were reviewed by regulators.
Cross-border crypto transfer rules were tightened.
Morocco moved from a ban to regulation in 2025.
New legislation recognised crypto as a digital representation of value.
Crypto assets were treated similarly to securities.
Tanzania adopted taxation as a form of legal recognition.
A three percent withholding tax was introduced.
Courts ruled taxed assets could not be illegal.
Regulators began drafting formal crypto guidelines.
Zimbabwe amended securities law to include virtual assets.
Licensing became mandatory for all crypto service providers.
Unlicensed operations will become criminal offences in 2026.
The reforms aim to attract banks and pension funds.
Analysts say Africa’s crypto shift mirrors global capital flows.
The GENIUS Act is widely seen as the catalyst.
Africa’s regulatory pivot marks a continent-wide reset.
Policymakers now see crypto as unavoidable infrastructure.