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Central African Republic -- Sanctions Compliance Regulatory Overview

Published: 2026-04-22 Updated: 2026-04-22 Author: SearXNG+LLM Version 1 Sources cited in: English (7)

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The Central African Republic (CAR) presents a unique case regarding cryptocurrency due to its adoption of Bitcoin as legal tender in 2022. However, this domestic policy does not override the international sanctions and restrictions imposed by bodies like the UN, OFAC, and the EU, which apply to individuals and entities within CAR.

Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) dealing with individuals or entities in CAR must comply with these international sanctions regimes, in addition to general Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Financing of Terrorism (CFT) obligations.

Here's a breakdown of the applicable sanctions and restrictions:

I. International Sanctions Framework Applicable to the Central African Republic

The primary sanctions regime targeting CAR is established by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and subsequently implemented by member states, including the United States (via OFAC) and the European Union.

A. United Nations Sanctions

The UN Security Council established a sanctions regime against the CAR in 2013, which has been modified and renewed multiple times. These sanctions aim to promote peace, stability, and security in the country.

  • Key Resolutions: UNSCR 2127 (2014) established the initial sanctions, which have been subsequently updated by resolutions like 2399 (2018), 2454 (2019), 2507 (2020), 2566 (2021), 2605 (2021), 2648 (2022), and 2693 (2023).
  • Scope:
    • Arms Embargo: Prohibits the supply, sale, or transfer of arms and related materiel to the CAR, with certain exemptions for UN missions and CAR security forces under strict conditions.
    • Travel Ban: Imposes a travel ban on individuals designated by the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee for CAR.
    • Asset Freeze: Requires all UN Member States to freeze funds and other financial assets belonging to or controlled by individuals and entities designated by the Committee. These designations target those engaging in or supporting acts that undermine peace and stability, violating the arms embargo, or involved in human rights abuses.
  • Compliance Requirements for VASPs: VASPs globally must screen their customers (KYC/CDD) and transactions against the UN Security Council Consolidated Sanctions List. Any transaction involving a designated individual or entity, or facilitating prohibited activities (e.g., arms embargo circumvention), is strictly prohibited.
  • Legal Reference:

B. OFAC Sanctions (United States)

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) implements U.S. sanctions programs. OFAC implements the UN sanctions regime against CAR through various Executive Orders.

  • Basis: Executive Orders, such as E.O. 13645 ("Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Conflict in the Central African Republic") and E.O. 13667, target individuals and entities involved in the CAR conflict.
  • Scope: These EOs authorize the blocking of property and interests in property of designated individuals and entities, and prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with them.
  • Compliance Requirements for U.S. VASPs (and those dealing in USD):
    • Sanctioned Entity Screening: U.S. VASPs must screen all customers and transactions against OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List and other relevant OFAC lists. Any entity on these lists with a CAR nexus, or generally, is a prohibited counterparty.
    • Prohibition on Transactions: U.S. persons (including U.S. companies and their foreign branches) and transactions touching the U.S. financial system are generally prohibited from engaging in any direct or indirect dealings with designated individuals or entities, or property in which they have an interest.
  • Geographic Restrictions: While there isn't a comprehensive country-wide embargo on CAR, transactions with or for the benefit of specifically designated individuals and entities within CAR are prohibited.
  • Legal Reference:

C. EU Sanctions

The European Union implements UN sanctions and may also impose autonomous sanctions.

  • Basis: The EU implements UNSC resolutions concerning CAR through Council Decisions and Regulations (e.g., Council Decision (CFSP) 2023/1601 and Council Regulation (EU) 2023/1598, updating previous measures).
  • Scope: The EU sanctions mirror the UN sanctions, including an arms embargo, a travel ban, and an asset freeze on designated individuals and entities undermining peace, security, or stability in the CAR.
  • Compliance Requirements for EU VASPs:
    • Sanctioned Entity Screening: EU VASPs must screen customers and transactions against the EU Consolidated List of persons, groups, and entities subject to EU financial sanctions.
    • Prohibition on Transactions: Any direct or indirect provision of funds or economic resources to, or for the benefit of, designated persons/entities is prohibited.
  • Legal Reference:

II. Specific Compliance Requirements for VASPs

For VASPs engaging with customers potentially linked to CAR, beyond general AML/CFT, specific sanctions compliance measures are crucial:

  • Sanctioned Entity Screening Obligations:
    • Continuous Screening: VASPs must implement robust systems to screen all prospective and existing customers (including beneficial owners) and their transaction counterparties against the UN Consolidated Sanctions List, OFAC SDN List, EU Consolidated List, and any other relevant national sanctions lists.
    • Risk-Based Approach: Given the CAR's instability and the potential for illicit financial flows, an enhanced due diligence (EDD) approach may be necessary for transactions involving high-risk entities or individuals in CAR, even if not directly sanctioned.
    • Ongoing Monitoring: Transactions should be continuously monitored for red flags indicating potential sanctions evasion or links to sanctioned parties.
  • Geographic Restrictions:
    • Targeted Restrictions: While there is no full crypto embargo on CAR as a country, transactions are prohibited if they involve specific individuals or entities designated by the UN, OFAC, or EU, regardless of their physical location within CAR.
    • High-Risk Jurisdiction: CAR's political instability and specific crypto legal tender status (which could be perceived as a mechanism for sanctions circumvention by some regulators) may lead financial institutions and VASPs to categorize CAR as a higher-risk jurisdiction, triggering EDD requirements.
  • Prohibited Activities:
    • Directly or indirectly providing any virtual asset services (e.g., exchange, transfer, custody) to designated individuals or entities.
    • Facilitating any transaction that would violate the arms embargo or provide economic resources to designated parties.
    • Engaging in any activity that could be seen as circumvention of sanctions, including through the use of virtual assets.

III. Central African Republic's Country-Specific Context and Sanctions Lists

A. CAR's Crypto Law and International Obligations:

  • Bitcoin as Legal Tender: In April 2022, the CAR adopted Law No. 0.040, making Bitcoin legal tender alongside the CFA franc. It also established a regulatory framework for virtual assets. This law, however, does not exempt CAR from international sanctions obligations.
  • Sango Project: The CAR government launched the "Sango" project, including a national cryptocurrency (Sango Coin), aiming to tokenize its natural resources.
  • Conflict with Regional Authority: The adoption of Bitcoin as legal tender has been opposed by the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), the regional central bank for the CEMAC (Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa) zone, which includes CAR. BEAC views this as undermining regional monetary stability.
  • FATF Implications: While CAR is not currently on the FATF grey list or black list, its move to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender without a robust, internationally compliant AML/CFT framework specifically for virtual assets could raise concerns with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and regional bodies like GABAC (Groupe d'Action contre le Blanchiment d'Argent en Afrique Centrale), potentially leading to increased scrutiny.

B. Country-Specific Crypto Sanctions Lists:

  • No Specific CAR Crypto Sanctions List: As of my last update, the Central African Republic does not maintain its own publicly accessible, specific sanctions list targeting individuals or entities for crypto-related activities. Its regulatory focus has been on adopting crypto, not sanctioning it internally beyond general AML/CFT.
  • Regional AML/CFT Framework: CAR, as a CEMAC member, is subject to the AML/CFT framework supervised by COBAC (Commission Bancaire de l'Afrique Centrale) and GABAC. These bodies generally follow FATF recommendations, which include requirements for VASPs.

IV. Penalties for Violations

Violations of sanctions can result in severe penalties, both for individuals and corporations:

  • OFAC Penalties (U.S.):
  • EU Penalties:
    • Penalties are set by individual EU Member States but are typically significant, including fines, confiscation of assets, and imprisonment for serious breaches.
  • Reputational Damage: Beyond legal and financial penalties, violating sanctions can severely damage a VASP's reputation, leading to loss of trust from customers, banking partners, and regulators.

Conclusion:

While the Central African Republic has embraced Bitcoin as legal tender, VASPs must operate with extreme caution and adhere strictly to international sanctions regimes. The primary compliance obligation for VASPs is to meticulously screen all customers and transactions against the UN, OFAC, and EU sanctions lists, particularly given CAR's high-risk profile due to instability and the potential for sanctions evasion. The CAR's domestic crypto laws do not supersede these international obligations, and non-compliance carries significant legal, financial, and reputational risks.

Source Data

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The Central African Republic sanctions regime was established by resolution 2127 (2013), adopted on 5 December 2013, and extended by resolution 2134 (2014) to a travel ban and asset freeze; it was renewed by resolutions 2399 (2018), 2454 (2019), 2507 (2020), 2536 (2020), 2588 (2021), 2648 (2022), 2693 (2023), 2745 (2024), 2789 (2025) and 2827 (2026), the last adopted on 29 July 2026 and running to 31 July 2027.

[primary] Security Council Committee pursuant to resolution 2745 (2024) [primary] Resolutions — Security Council Committee pursuant to resolution 2745 (2024) [primary] Resolution 2566 (2021) / adopted by the Security Council on 12 March 2021 [secondary] Security Council Extends Sanctions Regime Targeting Non-State Armed Groups, Individuals in Central African Republic for One Year, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2827 (2026)
80%

The arms embargo on the Central African Republic as a State was lifted by Security Council resolution 2745 (2024), adopted 30 July 2024; the embargo now applies only to armed groups and associated individuals and entities operating in the Central African Republic, and resolution 2827 (2026) of 29 July 2026 extended that targeted measure to 31 July 2027, the sanctions committee having been renamed the Committee pursuant to resolution 2745 (2024).

[primary] Security Council Committee pursuant to resolution 2745 (2024) [primary] Resolutions — Security Council Committee pursuant to resolution 2745 (2024) [secondary] UN arms embargo on the Central African Republic [secondary] Security Council Extends Sanctions Regime Targeting Non-State Armed Groups, Individuals in Central African Republic for One Year, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2827 (2026)
80%

The Central African Republic sanctions regime imposes a travel ban on designated individuals under the UN measures administered by the Committee pursuant to resolution 2745 (2024), currently extended to 31 July 2027, and separately under the United Kingdom's Central African Republic (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, where the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs designates persons and designation makes them excluded persons for UK immigration purposes.

[primary] Security Council Committee pursuant to resolution 2745 (2024) [primary] Central African Republic sanctions: statutory guidance [secondary] Security Council Extends Sanctions Regime Targeting Non-State Armed Groups, Individuals in Central African Republic for One Year, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2827 (2026)
80%

All UN Member States must freeze the funds and economic resources of individuals and entities designated by the Committee pursuant to resolution 2745 (2024) for engaging in or supporting acts that undermine peace and stability in the Central African Republic, for violating the arms embargo that now binds armed groups and associated entities after being lifted for the State, or for involvement in human rights abuses; the measure runs to 31 July 2027 under resolution 2827 (2026).

[primary] Security Council Committee pursuant to resolution 2745 (2024) [primary] Resolutions — Security Council Committee pursuant to resolution 2745 (2024) [secondary] Security Council Extends Sanctions Regime Targeting Non-State Armed Groups, Individuals in Central African Republic for One Year, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2827 (2026)
80%

Compliance Requirements for VASPs: VASPs globally must screen their customers (KYC/CDD) and transactions against the UN Security Council Consolidated Sanctions List. Any transaction involving a designated individual or entity, or facilitating prohibited activities (e.g., arms embargo circumvention), is strictly prohibited.

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

UNSC CAR Sanctions Committee: https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/2127

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

UN Consolidated Sanctions List: https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/un-sc-consolidated-list

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

The United States Central African Republic sanctions programme rests on Executive Order 13667 of 12 May 2014, Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Conflict in the Central African Republic, implemented by the Central African Republic Sanctions Regulations at 31 CFR part 553; Executive Order 13645 of 3 June 2013 is an Iran instrument authorising sanctions under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012 and was revoked in January 2016.

[primary] Executive Order 13667 of May 12, 2014 — Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Conflict in the Central African Republic [secondary] Executive Order 13645 — Authorizing the Implementation of Certain Sanctions Set Forth in the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012 and Additional Sanctions With Respect to Iran
80%

Scope: These EOs authorize the blocking of property and interests in property of designated individuals and entities, and prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with them.

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

Compliance Requirements for U.S. VASPs (and those dealing in USD):

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

Sanctioned Entity Screening: U.S. VASPs must screen all customers and transactions against OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List and other relevant OFAC lists. Any entity on these lists with a CAR nexus, or generally, is a prohibited counterparty.

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

Prohibition on Transactions: U.S. persons (including U.S. companies and their foreign branches) and transactions touching the U.S. financial system are generally prohibited from engaging in any direct or indirect dealings with designated individuals or entities, or property in which they have an interest.

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

The United States maintains no comprehensive country-wide embargo on the Central African Republic; the programme under Executive Order 13667 and 31 CFR part 553 is list-based, prohibiting dealings with specifically designated persons and entities and property in which they hold an interest.

[primary] Executive Order 13667 of May 12, 2014 — Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Conflict in the Central African Republic
80%

OFAC Central African Republic Sanctions Program: https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/sanctions-programs-and-country-information/central-african-republic-sanctions

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

European Union restrictive measures on the Central African Republic rest on Council Decision 2013/798/CFSP and Council Regulation (EU) No 224/2014, most recently amended by Council Regulation (EU) 2025/610 of 24 March 2025, which implements Security Council resolution 2745 (2024) by lifting the embargo on the CAR Government while keeping the prohibition on supplying arms, technical assistance, brokering and financing to armed groups; Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/1341 of 8 July 2025 is a separate instrument amending Decision (CFSP) 2016/610 and extending the EUTM RCA military training mission to 19 September 2026.

[primary] Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/1341 of 8 July 2025 amending Decision (CFSP) 2016/610 on a European Union CSDP Military Training Mission in the Central African Republic (EUTM RCA) [primary] Council Regulation (EU) 2025/610 of 24 March 2025 amending Regulation (EU) No 224/2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in the Central African Republic
80%

European Union measures on the Central African Republic mirror the UN regime with a travel ban and an asset freeze on persons and entities undermining peace, security or stability, but since Council Regulation (EU) 2025/610 of 24 March 2025 the arms embargo no longer applies to the CAR Government and binds only armed groups and associated individuals, together with related technical assistance, brokering and financial assistance.

[primary] Council Regulation (EU) 2025/610 of 24 March 2025 amending Regulation (EU) No 224/2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in the Central African Republic
80%

Sanctioned Entity Screening: EU VASPs must screen customers and transactions against the EU Consolidated List of persons, groups, and entities subject to EU financial sanctions.

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

Prohibition on Transactions: Any direct or indirect provision of funds or economic resources to, or for the benefit of, designated persons/entities is prohibited.

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

EU Sanctions Map (search "Central African Republic"): https://www.sanctionsmap.eu/

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

Council Regulations/Decisions: Search EUR-Lex (e.g., https://eur-lex.europa.eu/) for the latest CAR-specific Council Decisions and Regulations.

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

Continuous Screening: VASPs must implement robust systems to screen all prospective and existing customers (including beneficial owners) and their transaction counterparties against the UN Consolidated Sanctions List, OFAC SDN List, EU Consolidated List, and any other relevant national sanctions lists.

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

Risk-Based Approach: Given the CAR's instability and the potential for illicit financial flows, an enhanced due diligence (EDD) approach may be necessary for transactions involving high-risk entities or individuals in CAR, even if not directly sanctioned.

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

Ongoing Monitoring: Transactions should be continuously monitored for red flags indicating potential sanctions evasion or links to sanctioned parties.

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

United Nations sanctions on the Central African Republic under Resolution 2127 (2013), whose Committee mandate Resolution 2789 (2025) extended to 31 July 2026, are targeted: the asset freeze and travel ban bind only persons and entities designated by the 2127 Committee, and Resolution 2745 (2024) ended the general arms embargo on the State while retaining it for armed groups. The OFAC programme under Executive Order 13667 and 31 CFR part 553 is likewise list-based, so no comprehensive country embargo restricts virtual-asset dealings with the Central African Republic as such.

[primary] Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013) concerning the Central African Republic [primary] Central African Republic Sanctions — OFAC program page (E.O. 13667; 31 CFR part 553)
80%

High-Risk Jurisdiction: CAR's political instability and specific crypto legal tender status (which could be perceived as a mechanism for sanctions circumvention by some regulators) may lead financial institutions and VASPs to categorize CAR as a higher-risk jurisdiction, triggering EDD requirements.

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

Directly or indirectly providing any virtual asset services (e.g., exchange, transfer, custody) to designated individuals or entities.

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

Facilitating any transaction that would violate the arms embargo or provide economic resources to designated parties.

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

Engaging in any activity that could be seen as circumvention of sanctions, including through the use of virtual assets.

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

The Central African Republic gave cryptocurrency legal-tender status by Loi n° 22.004 du 22 avril 2022 régissant la cryptomonnaie en République centrafricaine, not by any 'Law No. 0.040', and Loi n° 23.005 du 6 avril 2023 amended that law to withdraw the legal-tender status and the guaranteed-convertibility provisions after the authorities agreed with BEAC to align the legislation with the CEMAC monetary-union framework. Bitcoin therefore holds no legal-tender status in the Central African Republic today, and international sanctions obligations were never displaced by the 2022 law.

[secondary] République centrafricaine — Questions générales, Rapport du FMI n° 23/156 (français) [secondary] Central African Republic: Selected Issues — IMF Country Report No. 23/156 [secondary] Regard sur la Loi n°22/004 du 22 avril 2022 régissant la cryptomonnaie
80%

The Central African Republic launched Project Sango on 15 July 2022, issuing a Sango Coin presented as backed by bitcoin and sold together with e-residency, citizenship and land rights, with tokenisation of natural resources as the stated purpose. The Constitutional Court struck down the citizenship and land components in August 2022, under 2 million US dollars — about 0.2 percent of the planned issuance — had been sold by January 2023, and the project website went offline on 29 April 2025.

[secondary] République centrafricaine — Questions générales, Rapport du FMI n° 23/156 (français) [secondary] Central African Republic: Selected Issues — IMF Country Report No. 23/156 [secondary] Centrafrique : les projets de cryptomonnaie ont surtout favorisé le crime organisé, selon un rapport (GI-TOC, décembre 2025) [secondary] Centrafrique : le naufrage du bitcoin et du $CAR, un fiasco cryptographique
80%

BEAC and the CEMAC authorities objected on 29 April 2022 that the Central African Republic's cryptocurrency law was incompatible with the CEMAC legal framework, with BEAC's exclusive privilege of currency issuance under the UMAC Convention and with monetary-union financial stability, and COBAC followed with Décision D-2022/071 du 6 mai 2022 barring supervised banks, financial establishments, microfinance institutions, payment institutions and bureaux de change from holding, using, exchanging, converting or booking crypto-assets.

[secondary] République centrafricaine — Questions générales, Rapport du FMI n° 23/156 (français) [secondary] CEMAC | RCA : la loi centrafricaine sur la cryptomonnaie est-elle « légale » au regard du droit financier et monétaire communautaire ? [secondary] CEMAC | Cryptomonnaies : peut-on conclure à une interdiction ou à une autorisation par la réglementation financière ?
80%

The Central African Republic appears on neither the FATF list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring nor the call-for-action list as of the June 2026 plenary, and virtual-asset AML/CFT obligations do bind it: Règlement n° 02/24/CEMAC/UMAC/CM du 20 décembre 2024 defines virtual assets and virtual-asset service providers, imposes originator and beneficiary information duties on virtual-asset transfers and routes suspicious-transaction reports to the national ANIF, while GABAC is the FATF-style regional body that evaluates the country.

[secondary] FATF June 2026 Update: Grey List and Black List Changes [primary] Règlement n° 02/24/CEMAC/UMAC/CM du 20 décembre 2024 relatif à la prévention et à la répression du blanchiment de capitaux, du financement du terrorisme et de la prolifération en Afrique centrale
80%

The Central African Republic maintains no autonomous national sanctions list for crypto-related activity; targeted financial sanctions reach it through United Nations designations under the 2127 Committee and through Règlement n° 04/24/CEMAC/UMAC/CM on the application of targeted financial sanctions linked to terrorism and proliferation financing, with suspicious-transaction reporting to the national ANIF under Règlement n° 02/24/CEMAC/UMAC/CM du 20 décembre 2024.

[primary] GABAC — Textes organiques (registre des règlements CEMAC/UMAC LBC/FT) [primary] Règlement n° 02/24/CEMAC/UMAC/CM du 20 décembre 2024 relatif à la prévention et à la répression du blanchiment de capitaux, du financement du terrorisme et de la prolifération en Afrique centrale [primary] Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013) concerning the Central African Republic
80%

CEMAC AML/CFT rules bind the Central African Republic through Règlement n° 02/24/CEMAC/UMAC/CM du 20 décembre 2024, adopted by the UMAC Ministerial Committee in Libreville in succession to Règlement n° 01/CEMAC/UMAC/CM du 11 avril 2016; it covers virtual-asset service providers, sets a ten-year record-retention period and imposes originator and beneficiary information duties on virtual-asset transfers. COBAC supervises credit, microfinance and payment institutions, COSUMAF licenses digital-asset service providers under its Règlement Général of 23 May 2023, and GABAC is the FATF-style regional body rather than a supervisory authority.

[primary] Règlement n° 02/24/CEMAC/UMAC/CM du 20 décembre 2024 relatif à la prévention et à la répression du blanchiment de capitaux, du financement du terrorisme et de la prolifération en Afrique centrale [primary] Règlement Général de la COSUMAF du 23 mai 2023
80%

Civil Penalties: Can range from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars per violation, depending on the severity and whether it was a deliberate act.

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

Criminal Penalties: For willful violations, individuals can face substantial fines and imprisonment (up to 20 years), while corporations can face multi-million dollar fines.

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

Legal Reference: OFAC's Enforcement Information and Guidelines: https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/civil-penalties-and-enforcement-information

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

Penalties are set by individual EU Member States but are typically significant, including fines, confiscation of assets, and imprisonment for serious breaches.

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information
80%

Reputational Damage: Beyond legal and financial penalties, violating sanctions can severely damage a VASP's reputation, leading to loss of trust from customers, banking partners, and regulators.

[secondary] un.org [secondary] un.org — Un Sc Consolidated List [primary] home.treasury.gov — Central African Republic Sanctions [primary] home.treasury.gov — Sanctions List Search [secondary] sanctionsmap.eu [primary] eur-lex.europa.eu [primary] home.treasury.gov — Civil Penalties And Enforcement Information

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References

This article was generated by SearXNG+LLM .

Primary Sources

un.org. (n.d.). un.org. Retrieved April 22, 2026, from https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/2127

un.org. (n.d.). un.org. Retrieved April 22, 2026, from https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/content/un-sc-consolidated-list

home.treasury.gov. (n.d.). home.treasury.gov. Retrieved April 22, 2026, from https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/sanctions-programs-and-country-information/central-african-republic-sanctions

home.treasury.gov. (n.d.). home.treasury.gov. Retrieved April 22, 2026, from https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/sanctions-list-search

eur-lex.europa.eu. (n.d.). eur-lex.europa.eu. Retrieved April 22, 2026, from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/

home.treasury.gov. (n.d.). home.treasury.gov. Retrieved April 22, 2026, from https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/civil-penalties-and-enforcement-information

Secondary Sources

sanctionsmap.eu. (n.d.). sanctionsmap.eu. Retrieved April 22, 2026, from https://www.sanctionsmap.eu/

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2026-04-22 — auto-publish-pipeline: published — Auto-published: grade A

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