Morocco has announced plans to unveil the regulatory framework of its crypto industry. According to the country’s Central Bank governor, Abdellatif Jouahri, the crypto industry regulations have already been formulated, and it is in the process of being unveiled. The Central Bank, in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, has been working on the regulation.
While the country has been working on the crypto regulation since 2022, it has not formulated any law for the sector despite being one of the leaders in terms of adoption. Aside from its commendable feat in crypto adoption in Africa and the MENA region, it also boasts one of the highest-growing metrics worldwide.
Morocco discusses the adoption of crypto regulations
Morocco’s Central Bank governor Abdellatif Jouahri clarified to stakeholders at a symposium that the country is prepared to adopt the regulations. He noted that crypto usage in the country has been increasing since 2017, opening the need for rules in the space. He noted that the country formulated the regulations to benefit from the innovation while protecting users in the space.
The wider market has reacted to the news, with crypto exchange CoinMENA CEO Talal Tabaa noting it is a welcomed development. “It is completely logical to see virtual asset regulations being rolled out by governments, as it has become evident that Bitcoin and crypto are already a key part of the financial markets. Governments have a lot to gain by regulating the sector as well as a lot to risk if they get left behind,” he said.
Jouahri also talked about CBDC, noting it is a new form of money that could benefit the country. “We launched the MDBC project more than three years ago to anticipate and guide the strategic choices and decisions of Bank Al-Maghrib in this area. The project also aims to strengthen our capacities and expertise on this complex and multidimensional subject,” he added.
Meanwhile, Morocco is faring better when it comes to crypto adoption in the MENA region, with a recent Chainalysis report putting it at 20th in global adoption. In addition, the country also boasts of the highest transaction value among MENA African nations. The report compared it with other African countries like Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt. The report also mentioned that only two MENA countries were ranked in the top 30 countries in terms of crypto adoption, with Morocco taking the 27th spot.
Digital 2030 takes flight as crypto enthusiasts anticipate the future
Morocco launched its digital 2030 initiative earlier this year, adding about $10 billion to its GDP. The strategy is in line with the country’s plan to create 30,000 jobs in the digital sector, adding about 100 billion dirhams to the country’s GDP. It is also expected that the country’s digital export revenue could hit 40 billion dirhams.
The country’s head of government wants to support the digital development of its public administration, a move that will be carried out by Morocco’s Agency for Digital Development (ADD). Similarly, the country will create a digital portal to enable standard administrative procedures.
President of Hashgraph Associated Kamal Youssefi, a contributor at the Moroccan Digital Development Agency hailed the initiative. “The establishment of DLT and digital asset regulations in Morocco is a major advancement towards mainstream adoption, especially with the implementation of Morocco’s Digital 2030 strategy. I believe that a crypto regulation puts a level of legal certainty in place, allowing disruptive solutions to flourish across various industry verticals specifically in the financial sector,” he said.
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