Tanzania’s central bank has completed a comprehensive study on digital assets and is now preparing to finalize a regulatory framework covering cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and virtual assets. Bank of Tanzania Governor Emmanuel Tutuba made the announcement during the 50th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair, held between July 13-14, 2026.
From warnings to welcome mats
Back in 2019, the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) issued explicit warnings against cryptocurrency trading, pointing to the risks of operating in an unregulated space.
Governor Tutuba emphasized that the completed study aims to enhance investor protection, mitigate risks like money laundering and fraud, and safeguard financial stability.
The Tanzanian government has been laying breadcrumbs for months. A 3% withholding tax on digital asset transactions was introduced under the Finance Act 2024, signaling that authorities viewed crypto less as a threat and more as a taxable reality. Then in May 2026, the BoT approved a stablecoin sandbox pilot, giving regulated entities a controlled environment to experiment with dollar-pegged tokens.
