This page may contain stale information. Last updated: 2026-07-05
Definition
VASP (Virtual Asset Service Provider) regulation governs licensing, capital, custody, and operational requirements for entities offering crypto exchange, wallet, payment, stablecoin issuance, and tokenization services.
Kenya VASP Act 2025 / Regulations 2026
Kenya’s draft VASP Regulations 2026 operationalize the VASP Act 2025:
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Stablecoin issuer capital | KSh500M minimum |
| Exchange/wallet capital | KSh150M |
| Tokenization/ICO capital | KSh200M |
| Local reserve rule | ≥30% of stablecoin funds in Kenyan commercial banks (contested) |
| Foreign issuers | Must obtain compliance certification; locally incorporated entities eligible for license |
30% local bank reserve rule faces industry opposition and parliamentary skepticism — foreign-issued stablecoins may face regulatory duplication with home jurisdictions.
Global Context
VASP frameworks align with FATF travel rule expectations while diverging on reserve localization (compare EU mica reserve rules vs Kenya’s proposed local bank anchor).
Related
- regulatory-compliance
- stablecoin-regulation
- central-bank-of-kenya
- capital-markets-authority-kenya
- reserve-requirements
- kyc