FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Securities and Exchange Commission, Ghana, hereinafter referred to as the “SEC”, is mandated under the Securities Industries Act, 2016 (Act 929) to regulate the capital market in Ghana and also mandated under the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act, 2025 (Act 1154) as a co-regulator of virtual assets services in Ghana with dedicated services provided for under the Act.
The SEC wishes to inform the general public and all market operators that, in operationalizing the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act, 2025 (Act 1154), the SEC is finalizing its regulatory sandbox framework specifically for Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs). The sandbox shall provide a controlled environment under the SEC’s regulatory oversight to test innovative virtual asset products and services.
Upon the completion of the regulatory sandbox framework, the SEC shall open an application process for the following categories of virtual asset services under the Act to be licensed:
- Virtual Asset Exchanges and Trading Platforms
- Virtual Asset Issuance
- Virtual Asset Tokenization
- Virtual Asset Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)
- Virtual Asset Managers
- Virtual Asset Brokerage and Investment Advisory
- Virtual Asset Mining and Validation (On Securities)
The sandbox platform shall support responsible innovation while strengthening investor protection, market integrity, and compliance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing standards (AML/CFT). Lessons learned from the pilot phase will inform the SEC’s future policy development and licensing frameworks for virtual assets.
For further information, please contact the Securities and Exchange Commission by email at vasp@sec.gov.gh, by telephone on +233 (0)302 768 970–2 or the toll-free line 0800 100 065, or visit the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.gh.
This Press Release is issued pursuant to sections 3 and 208(c) of the Securities Industry Act, 2016 (Act 929), as amended, and the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act, 2025 (Act 1154).
ISSUED BY
THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION (SEC)
DATED: JANUARY 23, 2026
(NOTICE NO. SEC/VASP/002/01/2026)