Algeria Cryptocurrency Regulation: Bitcoin Ban, Law 25-10 and Penalties
Algeria's Law 25-10 expressly restricts buying, holding, trading, promoting and mining virtual assets. Read the statutory penalties and Bank of Algeria guidance.
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Algeria has one of Africa's clearest statutory prohibitions on cryptocurrency activity.
Law No. 25-10 of 24 July 2025 amended Algeria's anti-money laundering framework. It added Article 6 bis. This article prohibits buying, selling, using, holding, trading, promoting and operating exchange platforms for virtual assets. It also covers crypto mining.
The official text appears in Journal Officiel No. 48, 24 July 2025. This guide was reviewed against primary sources on 3 November 2026.
Is Bitcoin legal in Algeria?
No, the activities specified in Article 6 bis are prohibited.
The law covers: - Issuing, buying and selling virtual assets. - Holding or using virtual assets. - Commercial trading and promotion. - Creating or operating virtual-asset exchange platforms. - Mining cryptocurrencies.
This is broader than a restriction on Bitcoin as legal tender. It also addresses ownership, exchange activity and mining.
Did Algeria already ban cryptocurrency in 2018?
Yes. The prohibition did not begin in 2025. Article 117 of Law No. 17-11 of 27 December 2017, the Finance Law for 2018, had already prohibited buying, selling, using and holding virtual currency. The later Law 25-10 introduced more explicit virtual-asset offences and the penalty stated in Article 31 bis.
Read Article 117 in the official 2018 Finance Law, Gazette No. 76.
The law defines the targeted assets by reference to virtual value used for payment or investment. Article 4 excludes certain digital representations of fiat currencies, securities and other financial assets from its virtual-asset definition. That is not a blanket exemption for stablecoins or payment products. Their legal classification depends on the facts.
It does not follow that all blockchain-based software is illegal. Assess the exact activity and legal definition.
What does Algeria's Law 25-10 say?
The law amended Law No. 05-01 of 6 February 2005 on preventing money laundering and terrorist financing.
| Key point | Legal source |
|---|---|
| Earlier prohibition | Article 117, Law No. 17-11, Finance Law for 2018 |
| Enacted amendment | Law No. 25-10, dated 24 July 2025 |
| Crypto prohibition | Article 6 bis, added by Article 5 of Law 25-10 |
| Penalty provision | Article 31 bis of the amended law |
| Banking implementation | Bank of Algeria Guidelines No. 06/2025, dated 12 November 2025 |
Read the official gazette and the Bank of Algeria's guidelines directory.
What are the penalties for crypto activity?
The law's Article 31 bis sets the penalty for breaching Article 6 bis. It provides for:
| Sanction | Stated range |
|---|---|
| Imprisonment | 2 months to 1 year |
| Fine | DZD 200,000 to DZD 1,000,000 |
| Court outcome | The provision permits imprisonment and fine, or either penalty alone |
These figures are statutory ranges. They are not forecasts of what a court will impose in a specific case. The provision also preserves the possibility of more severe penalties under other applicable laws.
Source: Algeria's official gazette, Law 25-10.
Can Algerian banks process payments connected to crypto?
The Bank of Algeria listed Guidelines No. 06/2025, dated 12 November 2025. They address identifying, blocking and preventing transactions tied to virtual assets.
The guidance directs banks and Algérie Poste to strengthen controls. Relevant measures include customer due diligence, transaction monitoring and suspicious-activity reporting.
Separately, Bank of Algeria Regulation No. 25-14 requires regulated institutions to deploy an effective automatic mechanism to block virtual-asset-linked operations, including activity involving providers established abroad. It also requires immediate reporting to the financial intelligence unit. This is a rule for covered institutions, not a VASP licensing route.
The guidance does not create a crypto-exchange licence. It reinforces the existing prohibition.
Can residents trade on an overseas exchange?
The existence of an overseas exchange does not remove Algeria's domestic legal restrictions.
Using a foreign app, a peer-to-peer marketplace, a stablecoin wallet or an intermediary can still raise legal issues. Do not treat technical access as permission.
People and businesses should seek local legal advice rather than attempting to bypass bank monitoring or payment restrictions.
Is there an Algerian VASP licensing regime?
This guide did not verify an operative domestic licensing route that permits ordinary cryptocurrency exchange activity despite Article 6 bis.
Do not list an invented VASP capital requirement or claim that paying an application fee makes a prohibited service lawful.
For regional comparisons, read Egypt's crypto legal framework and Finlazo's Africa crypto regulation directory.
Bottom line
Algeria's Law 25-10 expressly prohibits a wide range of virtual-asset activities. The stated penalty for a breach of Article 6 bis is up to one year in prison, a fine of up to DZD 1 million, or both, subject to other applicable laws.
The Bank of Algeria has also issued guidance to restrict crypto-linked payments through regulated institutions.
Primary sources: Official Gazette No. 48, Law 25-10; Ministry of Commerce listing of Law 17-11, Finance Law 2018; Bank of Algeria Regulation No. 25-14; Bank of Algeria Guidelines No. 06/2025 listing; Algerian Financial Intelligence Unit laws directory.
