As of 2022, the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) banned cryptocurrency payments, affirming that the Birr is the only recognized legal tender. Ethiopia allows licensed crypto mining, overseen across multiple regulators, including INSA, EIC, EEP, and NBE. In 2024, a law framework for a CBDC (Digital Birr) was approved to move forward through parliament. A full digital asset regulatory framework is expected by 2025, with strict AML/KYC controls and licensing for mining and exchanges. Mining access has also been temporarily frozen due to energy constraints, Ethiopia halted new crypto mining power permits in August 2025.
