Tunisia Cryptocurrency Regulation: Bitcoin, Exchange Controls and Draft Law
Tunisia applies longstanding exchange-control rules. Draft bill 2025/115 is still listed in parliament's committee process. Learn what that means for crypto.
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Tunisia does not have a verified, operational general cryptocurrency exchange licence in the official texts reviewed.
Its foreign-exchange rules remain central to the legal analysis. The core instrument is Law No. 76-18 of 21 January 1976, the Code des changes et du commerce extérieur, as amended.
A reform proposal, Bill No. 2025/115, was filed in parliament on 20 October 2025. The parliamentary record still describes it as a proposal being considered by committees.
A proposal is not an enacted law. We did not verify a commencement notice that would make the proposal operative.
Primary sources were checked on 3 November 2026. The proposed exchange-code reform is not yet enacted in the official parliamentary record.\n\nFor broader comparisons, read Finlazo’s Africa cryptocurrency regulation directory.
Is cryptocurrency legal in Tunisia?
Bitcoin is not legal tender in Tunisia. The national currency is the Tunisian dinar (TND).
It is more accurate to discuss lack of authorisation and foreign-exchange restrictions than to invent a single “Bitcoin Ban Act”.
The 1976 exchange-control code regulates transfers involving foreign countries, foreign exchange and exports of capital. Cryptocurrency purchases or transfers may raise issues under that framework depending on the facts.
Do not assume that because a crypto website accepts a Tunisian card, the transaction complies with local exchange controls. A detailed legal assessment is needed.
Which law governs cross-border financial transfers?
The Tunisian Ministry of Finance lists Law No. 76-18 as the core foreign-exchange statute.
Its official text is available as a Ministry of Finance PDF.
| Instrument | Date | Legal role |
|---|---|---|
| Law No. 76-18 | 21 January 1976 | Codifies foreign-exchange and foreign-trade rules |
| Decree No. 77-608 | 27 July 1977 | Implements aspects of the exchange-control code |
| Bill No. 2025/115 | 20 October 2025 filing | Proposal to issue a revised exchange code |
| Parliamentary referral | 29 January 2026 | Proposal referred for legislative consideration |
| Committee hearing | 23 February 2026 | Parliament continued reviewing the proposal |
The statute's foreign-exchange provisions have been amended over time. Do not assume the 1976 original, without later amendments, is the complete current rulebook.
Source: Ministry of Finance; Tunisian parliamentary proposal register.
What is the status of Tunisia's proposed exchange code?
The Assembly of the Representatives of the People lists Proposal No. 2025/115.
Its official record shows: - 20 October 2025: proposal filed. - 29 January 2026: legislative referral recorded. - 23 February 2026: Finance and Budget Committee hearing. - Further committee discussions recorded during April, May and June 2026.
The page lists the proposal among bills before committees. We did not verify final enactment or entry into force.
The reform has been discussed in connection with modernising the treatment of digital assets. But no particular crypto licence, capital requirement or right to trade should be claimed solely from a pending proposal.
Can a company apply for a Tunisian VASP licence?
An operational general-purpose Tunisian VASP licensing pathway was not verified in the primary sources reviewed.
A business must therefore avoid claims such as “the Tunisian crypto licence costs TND X” unless an operative legal instrument is produced.
Payment institutions, investment providers, foreign-exchange intermediaries and crypto exchanges are different regulatory categories.
A central-bank sandbox or fintech initiative, if available, is not automatically permission to hold customer crypto or exchange virtual assets.
Do Tunisian residents face penalties for Bitcoin?
Foreign-exchange law includes enforcement provisions for relevant violations. The actual offence, available sanctions and relevant amendments depend on the circumstances.
This guide does not state a blanket five-year prison penalty for simply holding Bitcoin. We could not verify that universal assertion against the cited primary legal text.
Do not rely on alarming social-media summaries. Ask which statutory section creates the offence and whether the alleged facts meet its requirements.
What does Tunisia's financial intelligence unit say about cryptoassets?
Tunisia's Commission Tunisienne des Analyses Financières (CTAF) is its financial intelligence unit. Its 2024 annual activity report describes a study, Marché des Cryptoactifs en Tunisie : État des lieux. The study drew on suspicious-transaction reports involving cryptoassets and preliminary blockchain-monitoring analysis. The CTAF shared its findings with stakeholders.
This confirms that cryptoassets are under financial-crime scrutiny. It does not create a virtual-asset licence, prove that every Bitcoin holder commits an offence, or establish a reliable national crypto-market size.
Source: CTAF 2024 annual report.
How should businesses treat Bitcoin and stablecoin payments?
Consider three separate stages: the customer's source of funds, any blockchain transfer and the final fiat payout.
A technically successful USDT transaction does not establish that a Tunisian bank may process the associated funds. The transaction may raise foreign-exchange, banking, consumer-protection or AML questions.
Compare Egypt's cryptocurrency restrictions, Algeria's express virtual-asset prohibition, Morocco's proposed crypto reforms, and Finlazo's Africa regulation directory. Their legal approaches differ.
Bottom line
Tunisia still relies on longstanding foreign-exchange legislation. Parliament is considering a proposal for a revised exchange code.
Proposal No. 2025/115 has not been verified as enacted. Do not describe Tunisia as having a live general VASP licensing regime or publish invented capital figures.
Primary sources: Ministry of Finance exchange-control framework; Law No. 76-18, official text; Parliamentary proposal No. 2025/115; committee hearing, 23 February 2026; committee hearing, 1 June 2026; CTAF 2024 annual activity report.
