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Cryptorabic

Is crypto legal in Tunisia?

Legal status

Banned by regulatorsLast verified:

Crypto is not authorized in Tunisia, and holding or using it has reportedly been treated as an offence, with at least one arrest reported in 2021. We found no crypto-specific law and no licensing framework. A government draft foreign exchange code that would allow crypto-asset transactions with Central Bank approval was adopted by a ministerial council in 2024, and a separate proposal by MPs was filed in Parliament in October 2025, but neither had been adopted as of our last check.

Currency: Tunisian dinar (TND)

Regulators

  • Central Bank of TunisiaControls foreign exchange; would approve crypto activity under the government's draft exchange code

Quick answers

The short version. Each row links to the full answer below.

What does the law say about crypto and Bitcoin in Tunisia?

No. Crypto is not authorized, and holding it has reportedly been treated as an offence. We found no Tunisian law authorizing crypto. A teenager was reportedly arrested in 2021 for using crypto in an online transaction, and the Finance Minister then said possession should be decriminalized, which suggests it is treated as an offence. Reforms that would bring crypto into the legal framework are still before Parliament.[3][4][5]

Can you buy crypto in Tunisia, and how?

There is no authorized way to buy crypto. We found no platform or bank authorized to sell crypto in Tunisia. Under the government's draft exchange code, holding and trading crypto would require Central Bank approval, but that code is not yet in force.[2][4]

Can you use a bank in Tunisia for crypto?

No. There is no authorized channel through banks. We found no framework that currently allows Tunisian banks to process crypto transactions. The government's draft exchange code would require Central Bank approval for crypto activity.[2]

Is USDT and P2P trading allowed in Tunisia?

No. Crypto trading, including P2P, is not authorized. We found no authorized channel for peer-to-peer crypto deals, including stablecoins such as USDT, and crypto use has reportedly led to an arrest.[3]

Is crypto mining legal in Tunisia?

No specific rule found. We found no published Tunisian rule that specifically addresses crypto mining.

Is crypto taxed in Tunisia?

No crypto tax rules found. We found no Tunisian tax rules for crypto, which fits with crypto activity not being authorized.

What are the penalties for crypto in Tunisia?

An arrest was reported, but we found no crypto-specific penalties. A 17-year-old was reportedly arrested in 2021 for using crypto in an online transaction, but we found no Tunisian law that sets crypto-specific penalties, and reports at the time pointed to a lack of legal clarity.[3]

Which crypto exchanges are licensed in Tunisia?

None. We found no licensing framework for crypto platforms in Tunisia. The government's draft exchange code would allow crypto activity with Central Bank approval.[2][4]

How crypto works in practice in Tunisia

Crypto is used in Tunisia despite the lack of authorization, which has led to at least one reported arrest and a long public debate about decriminalizing it. That debate has reached Parliament through a new foreign exchange code, which was still under committee review as of mid-2026.[3][6]

Risks

  • Arrest or prosecution has been reported, even for small transactions
  • No legal protection: losses and scams may not be recoverable

Taking part in this market is illegal in Tunisia.

More questions about crypto in Tunisia

Earning with crypto in Tunisia: what's legal

Is crypto trading allowed in Tunisia?

No. Trading crypto is not authorized.

Details

We found no legal framework for trading crypto in Tunisia, and none will exist until a new exchange code is adopted.[4][6]

Key laws and decisions in Tunisia

  • Government draft foreign exchange code (Code des changes)

    Reference: Draft Code des changes adopted by a ministerial council (not yet law)Date:

    Includes the authorization of crypto-asset transactions as one of its main points. According to the Finance Minister, it would let Tunisians hold and trade crypto with prior Central Bank approval above a threshold to be set later. Not yet adopted by Parliament.[2][4]

  • MPs' proposal for a new foreign exchange code

    Reference: Proposal filed by MP Maher Ktari with 40 MPs' support in the Assembly of the Representatives of the People (not yet law)Date:

    Would take digital assets and virtual currencies into account and bring them into the legal framework. Under review by Parliament's Finance Committee, and debate has been delayed.[1][5][6]

What changed

  1. Debate on the new exchange code is delayed; the bill remains under review.
  2. Parliament's Finance Committee announces hearings on the proposed foreign exchange code.
  3. MPs file a proposal for a new foreign exchange code that covers digital assets and virtual currencies.
  4. A ministerial council adopts the government's draft exchange code, which includes authorizing crypto-asset transactions.
  5. Finance Minister calls for Bitcoin possession to be decriminalized after a teenager's reported arrest.

Sources

  1. [1] La Presse de Tunisie: Finance committee on the draft foreign exchange code (20 February 2026)Secondary source
  2. [2] Managers: Exchange code, Tunisians could hold and trade cryptocurrencies (18 March 2024)Secondary source
  3. [3] African Manager: Bitcoin possession could be decriminalized in Tunisia (15 June 2021)Secondary source
  4. [4] Presidency of the Government: Adoption of the exchange code at a ministerial council (14 March 2024)Official source
  5. [5] Webdo: A full reform proposal for the exchange code filed at the ARP (21 October 2025)Secondary source
  6. [6] Tunisie Numérique: Exchange code between postponement to 2027 and a decision in October (23 July 2026)Secondary source

Nearby countries

Neighboring countries and others with the same status.

Information, not legal or financial advice. Last verified 14 October 2026.