President John Dramani Mahama has signed the Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) Bill into law, formally bringing Ghana’s digital asset sector — including cryptocurrencies — under a comprehensive regulatory framework.

The presidential assent, announced on December 30, 2025, was confirmed by the Deputy Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mensah Thompson, in a statement shared on social media. Parliament had earlier passed the bill after months of extensive deliberations and consultations with key stakeholders.

The new law provides a clear legal basis for the use, trading and provision of services related to virtual assets, ending years in which cryptocurrency activities operated in a regulatory grey area. Cryptocurrency trading is now legal in Ghana but must be conducted under regulated conditions.

Under the Act, all entities involved in virtual asset activities — including exchanges, wallet providers, token issuers and trading platforms — must be licensed or registered with the appropriate regulator. Oversight will be shared between the Bank of Ghana (BoG) and the SEC, depending on the nature of the service provided.

The Bank of Ghana will regulate virtual asset activities linked to payment systems, settlement services and stablecoins, while the SEC will oversee market-facing services such as exchanges, custodial wallet providers, token issuance and investment-related activities.

Officials say the law is designed to strengthen investor protection, ensure market integrity and safeguard financial stability, while still supporting innovation in the digital economy. Both regulators are expected to issue detailed guidelines in early 2026 to operationalise the Act, covering licensing requirements, capital standards, risk management, and anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist financing controls.

The signing of the VASP Act marks a major milestone in Ghana’s financial sector reforms and positions the country among African peers that have adopted structured approaches to digital asset regulation.