The National Bank of Rwanda (NBR) has warned the public that crypto payments and trades using the local currency remain illegal in the country after Bybit added support for the Rwandan franc for its peer-to-peer platform on Friday.
“Crypto-assets are NOT authorized for payments, FRW conversion, or P2P trading involving FRW under the current framework,” the central bank posted to X on Sunday, urging citizens to avoid crypto due to “serious financial risks and no recourse in case of loss.”
The central bank’s comments were in response to an X post from Bybit on Friday, stating that the Rwandan franc (FRW) can be used to buy and sell crypto through its Bybit P2P service.
In a separate X post, the NBR noted that the FRW “remains the only legal tender in Rwanda” and that “NBR-licensed financial institutions are prohibited from converting FRW into crypto-assets or vice versa.”
Cointelegraph reached out to Bybit for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Rwanda has been trying to strengthen the FRW’s presence in the country with a central bank digital currency, the e-franc rwandais, which is currently in the proof-of-concept stage and may progress to a pilot phase.
Rwanda is one of many countries that have pushed back against crypto services in an effort to preserve monetary sovereignty and have more control over its financial system, restricting crypto use since 2018.
Incoming crypto regulation seeks to further restrict crypto
However, in March, Rwanda’s Capital Market Authority released a draft framework to regulate virtual asset service providers, a step it said would promote “responsible innovation.”
Related: Taiwan should reconsider Bitcoin reserve in case of war, says think tank
The bill, which is making its way through Rwanda’s legislature, seeks to prohibit crypto as legal tender while banning crypto mining, mixer services and tokens pegged to the FRW.
It also seeks to provide a pathway for crypto service providers to operate under a license and supervision.
Data from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis shows Rwanda ranks low in crypto adoption during 2024 and 2025, with locals receiving only a fraction of the crypto value seen in higher-adopting African countries like Nigeria and South Africa.
Magazine: What’s a ‘Network State’ and are there real-life examples? Big Questions
