Centralized exchange in Bolivia

Prohibition of Cryptocurrencies:

Regulatory Reference: Resolución del Directorio del BCB No. 044/2014 (Resolution of the BCB Board No. 044/2014), issued on May 6, 2014.

Key Provision: This resolution explicitly prohibits the use and commercialization of any currency or coin that is not issued and controlled by the national monetary authority within the national financial system. This effectively bans cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others from being used as means of payment or stored value within the formal financial system.

Reinforcement of the Stance:

Not Adopted. The FATF Travel Rule (Recommendation 16, interpreted for virtual assets under Recommendation 15) has not been adopted or implemented in Bolivia.

N/A. As there is no legal framework for VASPs or the Travel Rule, there are no technical implementation requirements.

Bolivia has reversed its total ban on VASPs and is transitioning to a controlled regulatory framework, but no specific Travel Rule threshold amounts have yet been established by Bolivian authorities.

Bolivia lifted its cryptocurrency prohibition in 2024 and established a regulatory framework that allows for legally recognized and regulated VASPs to operate.

Exchanges between virtual assets and fiat currencies.

Exchanges between one or more forms of virtual assets.

Transfer of virtual assets.

Safekeeping and/or administration of virtual assets or instruments enabling control over virtual assets.

Violation Type: Primarily fraud, pyramid scheme (estafa con promesa de rendimientos extraordinarios), illicit financial intermediation, and sometimes money laundering. Cryptocurrencies are often a tool used in these schemes to obscure transactions or give an appearance of legitimacy/innovation. Penalty Amount: Not applicable as a direct "penalty for crypto violation." Penalties are sought under existing criminal laws for fraud, which can include imprisonment and restitution to victims. Specific fines for the crypto aspect are not typically levied. Outcome: Arrests of perpetrators, freezing of assets (where possible), public warnings against these types of investments, and ongoing legal proceedings for fraud. The use of cryptocurrencies in these schemes often complicates asset recovery due to their decentralized nature.

Outcome: Arrests of perpetrators, freezing of assets (where possible), public warnings against these types of investments, and ongoing legal proceedings for fraud. The use of cryptocurrencies in these schemes often complicates asset recovery due to their decentralized nature.

Bolivia has shifted from a complete ban on cryptocurrencies to a regime of controlled regulation, so the regulator no longer issues advisories reiterating a ban but instead implements new regulatory frameworks.

Investigations and arrests related to fraud or pyramid schemes that utilize cryptocurrencies: These are often led by the police and public prosecutor's office, with the primary violation being fraud or illicit financial schemes, rather than simply possessing or trading crypto.

GAFILAT Mutual Evaluation Reports for Bolivia:

As a member of GAFILAT, Bolivia's compliance with FATF Recommendations is assessed, but as of February 2026, Bolivia is under increased FATF monitoring due to strategic deficiencies, and a June 2025 report indicates Bolivia has pledged reforms to combat financial crime, moving beyond the 2018 MER's finding of no specific virtual asset regulation and existing prohibition.

Banco Central de Bolivia (BCB) Resolution 042/2014 (May 6, 2014):

As of April 2026, Bolivia’s financial institutions are free to buy and sell dollars at freely chosen prices, superseding any older archived BCB resolution on fixed rates.