The Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe has published the country’s inaugural national assessment of money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing risks involving virtual assets and virtual asset service providers. Covering 2019 to 2024, the assessment rates overall risk as medium low, reflecting limited adoption, minimal links with the traditional financial sector and no significant recorded abuse. It nevertheless identifies substantial potential for misuse because Zimbabwe lacks a regulatory framework and activity is concentrated in informal peer-to-peer transactions. Non-custodial wallets and virtual asset exchanges received medium residual risk ratings, while initial coin offerings were rated medium low and custodial hot wallets and information providers were rated low. The assessment recommends a legal framework covering licensing, supervision and monitoring, alongside consumer and data protection, market discipline and taxation. It also proposes a supervised sandbox while comprehensive legislation is developed, followed by tailored anti-money laundering and counterterrorist financing requirements for service providers.
2026-08-26Securities & Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe
Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe publishes inaugural virtual asset risk assessment, rates overall illicit finance risk medium low
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe has published the country’s inaugural virtual asset risk assessment, rating overall money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing risk as medium low. The report highlights higher exposure from non-custodial wallets, exchanges and informal peer-to-peer trading. It recommends licensing and supervisory rules, with a regulatory sandbox as an interim option.