Stablecoin issuer / redeemer in Equatorial Guinea

Neither: There is no registration or licensing regime for cryptocurrency activities in Equatorial Guinea. Instead, there is a prohibition.

No Required Licenses: Consequently, there are no licenses available for exchanges, custody providers, payment processors, or any other entities involved in virtual asset services, as these activities are generally prohibited.

BEAC Circular No. 001/GR/2022 of June 29, 2022, concerning the prohibition of crypto-assets.

Scope: The prohibition applies to the issuance, trading, holding, and any other activities related to crypto-assets by any person or entity subject to the CEMAC financial regulatory framework. This directly impacts:

Exchanges: Prohibited from operating.

Other VASPs: Any entity dealing with virtual assets in a professional capacity.

Not Applicable: Since the activities are prohibited, there are no capital requirements, specific AML/KYC obligations (beyond general financial sector compliance, which would prohibit engagement with crypto anyway), or local presence requirements for crypto-related businesses.

Electronic Money (Monnaie Électronique): Stablecoins that aim to maintain a stable value against the CFA franc (XAF) or any other fiat currency, and are intended for payment or value transfer, would most likely be classified as electronic money under BEAC Regulation N°02/18/CEMAC/UMAC/CM.

Mandatory Full Backing: Article 27 of Regulation N°02/18/CEMAC/UMAC/CM explicitly requires that electronic money issued by Electronic Money Institutions (EMIs) be fully backed by liquid assets.

Regional Legislation (CEMAC/GABAC):

Directive N° 01/03-UEAC-CM-300-CM-06 on the Fight against Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing in CEMAC (and subsequent revisions/updates): This is the foundational regional text. Member states like Equatorial Guinea are obliged to implement its provisions. This directive establishes the general obligations for financial institutions and DNFBPs. It has been periodically updated to align with evolving FATF standards.

Law N° 4/2004 on the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism: This law served to transpose the earlier CEMAC directives into national legislation. It establishes the criminalization of ML/TF and outlines the obligations for reporting entities. While predating specific crypto concerns, its broad definitions of "financial institutions" and "transaction" are likely to be interpreted to cover VASPs.

Identification and Verification:

Obligation to Report: VASPs must establish systems to detect and report suspicious transactions.

Reporting Authority: Reports are submitted to the national Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).

Retention Period: VASPs must maintain records of all customer identification data, transaction records, and STRs for a specified period, typically at least five (5) years after the business relationship has ended or after the date of the transaction.

Primary Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU):

General Interpretation: If cryptocurrency is treated as an "asset" or "property," then any gains realized from its disposal (e.g., selling crypto for fiat, or exchanging one crypto for another) would likely be subject to the general capital gains provisions.

CIT Rate (General): The standard corporate income tax rate is 35%. Certain sectors (e.g., oil and gas) may have different specific regimes.