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Every business offering or planning to offer crypto and other virtual asset services in Kenya must now apply for a VASP licence, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) and the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) said in a joint public notice dated 13 November 2026. The notice says the Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) Regulations, 2026 were gazetted on 22 July 2026 in Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 185 under Legal Notice No. 134, bringing the VASP Act into operation.
“Accordingly, any person(s) providing or intending to provide virtual asset services are required to apply for a licence from the relevant regulatory authority pursuant to the Act,” the regulators said.
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What the CBK and CMA VASP licence notice says
The notice refers back to an earlier joint notice of 18 November 2025. That notice covered the passage of the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act, 2025 (Act No. 20 of 2025), its gazettement on 21 October 2025 and its commencement on 4 November 2025, and the drafting of regulations by the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury on the advice of CBK and CMA.
“Following the completion of the regulation development phase, the CBK and the CMA notifies the public of the gazettement of the VASP Regulations, 2026,” the 13 November notice says. “This gazettement brings into operation the VASP Act.” CBK posted the notice on its official X account on 13 November.
Who issues a VASP licence in Kenya
The Act “designates the CBK and the CMA as the relevant regulatory authorities,” the notice says, and provides for them to license VASPs “in accordance with the services listed in the First Schedule to the Act.” Firms apply to the regulator responsible for the service they offer.
The regulators said “the detailed licensing checklists can be accessed from the relevant regulatory authority’s websites” and that “the list of licensed VASPs will be published by the respective regulatory authorities.” The notice lists vaspapplications@centralbank.go.ke as the CBK contact and virtualassets@cma.or.ke for CMA.
Why the VASP licence matters for crypto users
In its November 2025 notice, the regulators said the Act also sets out the duties of VASPs “in the prevention of Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing, and Proliferation Financing.” At that time they said licensing “will commence upon issuance of these Regulations” and that “currently CBK and CMA have not licensed any VASPs under the Act to operate in or from Kenya.”
The new notice does not give a deadline for existing firms to apply or name any licensed VASP. Once the regulators publish their lists, users will have an official register to check a crypto platform against. CMA has previously warned about unlicensed schemes, as in our report on the CMA crypto wallet probe. The same approach applies to trading platforms, covered in our guide on how to check if a forex broker is licensed by CMA and the list of CMA-licensed forex brokers.
What happens next
CBK and CMA will each publish the licensing checklists for the services they supervise, followed by lists of licensed providers. Firms that already serve Kenyan customers will need to apply and meet the Act’s anti-money laundering duties. Businesses looking at the sector can also check our guide to licensed money remittance providers in Kenya for how CBK registers other payment firms.
Frequently asked questions
Who needs a VASP licence in Kenya?
Any person providing or intending to provide virtual asset services listed in the First Schedule to the VASP Act, according to the CBK and CMA notice of 13 November 2026.
When were the VASP Regulations 2026 gazetted?
On 22 July 2026, in Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 185 under Legal Notice No. 134, by the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury.
Which regulator licenses crypto firms in Kenya?
The Central Bank of Kenya and the Capital Markets Authority, each for the services assigned to it under the First Schedule of the Act.
Has any VASP been licensed in Kenya yet?
The 13 November notice does not name any licensed VASP. It says the lists of licensed VASPs will be published by the respective regulators.
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