The Namibia’s government has passed the Namibia Virtual Assets Act 2023 to regulate the virtual asset industry.
The act aims to designate a regulatory authority responsible for overseeing virtual asset service providers and related activities. It focuses on consumer protection, preventing market abuse, and combatting money laundering.
Non-compliant providers may face penalties of up to $671,000 and 10 years in prison. However, the country’s central bank maintains that cryptocurrencies will not have legal tender status.
Although the law has been officially passed and published in the Gazette of the Republic of Namibia, it is not yet in effect. The Minister of Finance will determine the effective date.
This move aligns with a global trend of increased regulation of crypto-related activities, with other countries like the European Union, U.K., South Korea, and South Africa also implementing crypto licensing regimes.
Namibia’s designated crypto regulator will soon have the authority to license virtual asset service providers and introduce new regulations in this rapidly growing sector.
Also Read: Bank of Namibia says Virtual Assets can be Accepted as Payment
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