Central Bank of Armenia issues first crypto-asset service provider regulations with licensing and capital rules effective 31 January 2026

The Central Bank of Armenia has published the first package of regulations governing crypto-asset service providers, establishing a licensing regime, minimum capital requirements, manager registration rules and requirements for crypto-asset offer documents, with the framework entering into force on 31 January 2026. The package includes Regulation 7/01 on licensing (authorisation) and acquisition of a qualifying holding, Regulation 7/02 on minimum requirements for total capital, Regulation 7/05 on registration of managers, and Regulation 7/04 on the form and content of the crypto-asset offer document. Legal entities may provide crypto-asset services in Armenia only if registered and licensed by the Central Bank, with licensing requiring at least Central Bank registration, compliance with capital requirements depending on the type of service, internal policies and procedures, and completion of managers’ registration. Entities and individual entrepreneurs already providing crypto-asset services when the Law on Crypto-Assets entered into force on 4 July 2025 must become registered and licensed within one year of 31 January 2026 or cease providing or offering such services, including where a firm has been reorganised solely through a change in organisational and legal form. Issuers or distributors that conducted a public offering of crypto-assets in Armenia before Regulation 7/04 takes effect must publish and submit a compliant offer document within three months of 31 January 2026, provided the crypto-assets remain in circulation and no exemption applies.