Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has signed Decree No. 19 “On Cryptobanks and Sure Problems with Management within the Area of Digital Tokens,” formally making a authorized framework for bitcoin and crypto banks within the nation.
The decree makes Belarus a hub for monetary expertise innovation whereas offering a regulated path for cryptocurrency companies.
Beneath the brand new legislation, a crypto financial institution is outlined as a joint-stock firm that may be a resident of Belarus’ Excessive-Tech Park (HTP) and included in a registry maintained by the Nationwide Financial institution of Belarus.
These establishments can provide each conventional banking companies — similar to deposits, loans, and transfers — and actions involving digital tokens, making a hybrid monetary mannequin that blends fiat and crypto operations.
Solely corporations registered with the HTP and listed within the Nationwide Financial institution’s crypto financial institution registry might be eligible to function. Crypto banks is not going to be full business banks however will operate as non-bank monetary establishments, topic to twin regulation.
This implies they have to adjust to guidelines for non-bank credit score and monetary establishments, together with capital adequacy, threat administration, anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-financing of terrorism (CFT) obligations, in addition to shopper safety requirements.
They’re additionally required to observe choices made by the HTP Supervisory Board.
Belarus’ pro-bitcoin push
The decree is a part of Belarus’ broader push to combine digital finance with conventional banking infrastructure. “Twin regulation will enable a crypto financial institution to supply purchasers revolutionary monetary merchandise that mix the benefits of conventional banking operations with the technological effectivity, pace, and comfort of digital token transactions,” the presidential web site famous.
Belarus has a historical past of early adoption of crypto rules. A 2017 decree established tax-free circumstances for cryptocurrency mining and buying and selling, eliminating the necessity for people to declare crypto earnings.
In recent times, Lukashenko has additionally promoted digital fee programs and bitcoin mining initiatives, together with utilizing surplus electrical energy to energy mining farms within the Mogilev area.
The nation is anticipated to launch its digital ruble in full-scale operation within the second half of 2026.
For native customers and companies, the brand new framework may ease entry to hybrid monetary merchandise that hyperlink fiat and digital currencies. By enabling smoother and sooner settlement, crypto banks could scale back friction when shifting between conventional and crypto-based transactions. The decree additionally supplies clear regulatory boundaries, making certain that crypto operations stay totally backed by fiat and topic to oversight.
Globally, Belarus’ transfer aligns with traits towards on-chain finance and tokenized property, as banks and monetary establishments discover blockchain expertise for funds, buying and selling, and asset administration.
Simply yesterday, Belgium’s KBC Group mentioned they are going to change into the primary native financial institution to let retail purchasers commerce crypto, beginning February 16 through its Bolero platform beneath EU’s MiCAR guidelines.
Initially providing Bitcoin and Ether on an execution-only foundation, purchasers should go a risk-awareness check earlier than buying and selling.