Algeria Cracks Down: $7,700 Fines & 1-Year Jail for Crypto Use—Full Ban Enforced

North Africa's crypto winter just got colder. Algeria slams the door shut on digital assets with draconian penalties—$7,700 fines and prison time for anyone caught trading.

The Hammer Drops

No phased approach, no regulatory sandbox. Just a blanket prohibition that treats Bitcoin like contraband. Authorities claim it's about 'financial stability'—because nothing stabilizes markets like criminalizing innovation.

The Irony Wrinkle

While Algiers bans crypto, its dinar continues its multi-decade slide against hard currencies. But sure, the real threat is decentralized ledgers—not 12% inflation eating savings alive.

Cold Wallet Exodus

Local traders report Telegram channels lighting up with OTC offers. When governments ban tech, the underground adopts it faster—see VPNs in China or crypto in Nigeria. The blockchain doesn't do borders.

Another chapter in the global regulatory circus. Next up: officials blaming crypto for their own monetary policy failures while pocketing IMF bailouts.

Algeria Crypto Ban Targets VPN Trading, Mining, and Promotion Laws

The Algeria crypto ban law that was passed on July 24 actually defines cryptocurrency as financial property and treats usage as criminal offenses under counter-terrorism rules. This crypto regulation crackdown encompasses Bitcoin, Tether, and all digital wallets, making even holding crypto illegal right now.

The sweeping VPN crypto trading ban specifically targets popular global platforms that are accessed through VPNs. Citizens who previously used peer-to-peer methods and foreign exchanges now face prosecution under the illegal crypto mining Algeria provisions.

ALGERIA DECLARES TOTAL CRYPTO BAN UNDER NEW AML LAW

– Algeria has imposed a sweeping crypto ban, outlawing ownership, trading, mining, and promotion under a law passed on July 24, per Fibladi.

– The law defines crypto assets as financial property and treats their use as a… pic.twitter.com/u3vISgJlgy

Criminal Penalties and Enforcement

Algeria crypto ban law violators are facing up to one year imprisonment and fines reaching $7,700. The anti-money laundering crypto regulations extend penalties to platforms, wallet providers, and also promoters who facilitate digital asset activities.

Algeria’s financial and security agencies are coordinating enforcement both online and offline right now. The crypto regulation crackdown represents an escalation from the country’s 2018 restrictions, when citizens still accessed markets through alternative methods.

Government Justification

Authorities are justifying the VPN crypto trading ban and illegal crypto mining Algeria prohibitions as protecting financial stability and reducing crime. The anti-money laundering crypto measures align with FATF standards for preventing terrorism financing.

Critics warn the Algeria crypto ban law could actually stifle innovation in a region where the country was among the fastest-growing crypto markets. The approach rejects regulatory frameworks that other nations are adopting.

Algeria joins nations choosing total prohibition over regulation, implementing immediate enforcement across financial institutions and internet providers to detect crypto activities under the new crypto regulation crackdown measures at the time of writing.