South Africa Proposes Restricting Corporate Cross-Border Crypto Transactions, VALR Warns It Could Weaken Regulatory Oversight
2026-08-09 09:36
Odaily News: South Africa's National Treasury and the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) have released draft rules on cross-border transfers of crypto assets. Farzam Ehsani, co-founder and CEO of crypto exchange VALR, stated that without significant amendments to key provisions, the framework could harm the country's digital asset industry and drive capital offshore.
The draft rules allow individual residents to transfer crypto assets abroad within existing foreign exchange limits but restrict corporates from conducting cross-border crypto transactions, while also classifying certain inbound transfers from private, non-custodial self-hosted wallets as unacceptable transfers for local crypto asset service providers (CASPs). Ehsani believes this could push both businesses and retail users toward overseas platforms.
Ehsani noted that prohibiting regulated entities from handling legitimate corporate transactions—particularly cross-border stablecoin payments—could drive such activity underground or offshore, ultimately undermining the transaction visibility and monitoring capabilities regulators aim to achieve. South Africa's National Treasury and SARB have opened a public consultation period, with feedback due by September 30.
The draft rules allow individual residents to transfer crypto assets abroad within existing foreign exchange limits but restrict corporates from conducting cross-border crypto transactions, while also classifying certain inbound transfers from private, non-custodial self-hosted wallets as unacceptable transfers for local crypto asset service providers (CASPs). Ehsani believes this could push both businesses and retail users toward overseas platforms.
Ehsani noted that prohibiting regulated entities from handling legitimate corporate transactions—particularly cross-border stablecoin payments—could drive such activity underground or offshore, ultimately undermining the transaction visibility and monitoring capabilities regulators aim to achieve. South Africa's National Treasury and SARB have opened a public consultation period, with feedback due by September 30.
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