The Government of Zimbabwe has adopted the first specialized rules for the cryptocurrency industry, requiring all companies working with digital assets to undergo annual registration with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) at the central bank. The registration fee would be $500 per year, and activities without a permit would be officially considered an offense.

The new regulations mark a departure from the 2018 policy, which banned financial institutions from trading cryptocurrencies, forcing traders to switch to P2P platforms and social media. Local market participants were positive about the changes: trader Jeffrey Mutambiranova called it a positive step that will allow the industry to exit underground.

The regulatory initiative has become part of a global trend to tighten control over the crypto industry following a series of stock-market bankruptcies and rising concerns about money laundering. Previously, in June 2024, a special committee had already been established in Zimbabwe to develop regulations for the cryptodetector.