Tokenization & crypto licensing in Kenya
What the authorities publish on tokenized assets and digital-asset providers, and why it could or could not be read. 1 instruments from here are in our catalogue.
Buying crypto in Kenya: what to know
Legal- Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) — Licenses payment-related virtual-asset services (reportedly including stablecoin issuers) under the VASP Act 2025
- Capital Markets Authority (CMA) — Licenses investment-related virtual-asset services such as exchanges
- Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) — Taxation
Kenya repealed its 3% Digital Asset Tax from July 2025 and now charges 10% excise duty on platform fees; how individuals' crypto gains are taxed has no specific KRA guidance.
Gains: No crypto-specific rate; 3% Digital Asset Tax repealed 2025. General income or capital gains tax rules may apply (no specific guidance)
- Licensing has only just opened; check the CMA and CBK for licensed providers.
- Excise duty is built into platform fees.
- Existing providers must comply within one year of the Act's commencement, i.e. by 4 November 2026.
Checked 2026-10-29 · Confidence: medium · Sources: [1][2][3][4][5]
Not confirmed: EY gives 21 Oct 2025 as entry into force (gazettement) vs 4 Nov 2025 commencement elsewhere. · Legal Notice 134 and 'no licensee yet' from one secondary guide only. · Taxation of individuals' gains and staking unclear.
Compiled to the best of our knowledge from the sources linked. Information, not tax or legal advice. Rules change — check the linked official sources before acting.
Found an error or something out of date? Tell us at [email protected] — we check and correct it.
What the authorities publish — and what we read
Status: No public register. Every address below was loaded, not guessed. A register entry records that an authority licensed, registered or approved something; it says nothing about whether you may or should buy it.
| Authority | Register | Finding |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Markets Authority (CMA) – sandbox + investment-type VASPs; Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) – payment-type VASPs (VASP Act 2025, in force 04.11.2025; Regulations 2026) | CMA Regulatory Sandbox portal; CMA Licensees/Market Players portal | No public register |
In our catalogue: 1 instruments from Kenya
1 live.