SEC to Launch Virtual Asset Regulatory Sandbox to Strengthen Investor Protection
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Ghana is finalizing a regulatory sandbox framework for Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs as part of efforts to regulate the country’s fast-growing virtual asset ecosystem and enhance investor protection.
The initiative, being implemented under the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act, 2025 (Act 1154), will provide a controlled testing environment for innovative virtual asset products and services under the direct regulatory oversight of the SEC.
In a statement issued on January 23, 2026, the Commission explained that the sandbox is intended to support responsible innovation while ensuring market integrity and compliance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) standards.
According to the SEC, once the sandbox framework is completed, an application process will be opened for licensing entities operating in key virtual asset service categories. These include virtual asset exchanges and trading platforms, virtual asset issuance, tokenization, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), asset management, brokerage and investment advisory services, as well as virtual asset mining and validation related to securities.
The Commission noted that lessons learned from the sandbox’s pilot phase will play a critical role in shaping future policy decisions and licensing frameworks for virtual assets in Ghana.
The SEC, which derives its mandate from the Securities Industry Act, 2016 (Act 929), is a co-regulator of virtual asset services in Ghana under Act 1154. The Commission emphasized that the sandbox aligns with its broader objective of balancing innovation with robust regulatory safeguards to protect investors and maintain confidence in the capital market.
Members of the public and market operators seeking further information have been advised to contact the SEC through its official channels