Is Binance legal in Kenya? VASP Act 2025, Binance disclaimer
No sign-up button for Kenya: we show one only where we have verified the Binance referral offer for that country.
Short answer
Kenya is not on Binance’s List of Prohibited Countries (updated 5 January 2026), but a Binance post dated 16 May 2023 says it is not licensed to carry on business in Kenya. Kenya’s Virtual Asset Service Providers Act, 2025 (in force since 4 November 2025) requires a licence from the CMA or CBK. On 18 November 2025 the CBK and CMA said they had not licensed any VASPs. That is why this page has no sign-up button. We have not verified a current licence status, so these statements are dated, not a ruling on today’s status. Checked 20 October 2026.
Key facts at a glance
| Fact | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Kenya is not on the List of Prohibited Countries (updated 5 Jan 2026) | Binance | 20 Oct 2026 |
| Binance said it was not licensed to carry on business in Kenya (as of 16 May 2023) | Binance blog, 16 May 2023 | 20 Oct 2026 |
| VASP Act 2025 commenced 4 Nov 2025; licence required (s.8(2)) | Kenya Law | 20 Oct 2026 |
| CBK and CMA had not licensed any VASPs (18 Nov 2025) | CBK public notice | 20 Oct 2026 |
| Excise duty of 10% on VASP fees from 1 Jul 2025 | KRA | 20 Oct 2026 |
What Kenya’s VASP Act 2025 requires
The Act applies to virtual asset service providers offering virtual asset services in Kenya (s.4(1)). The regulators are the Capital Markets Authority and the Central Bank of Kenya (s.5). Section 8(2) says a person shall not carry on, or purport to carry on, the business of virtual asset services in or from Kenya unless licensed by the relevant regulatory authority. Section 47 gives existing providers one year from commencement to comply. The VASP Regulations, 2026 were published as Legal Notice No. 134 on 22 July 2026. We make no legal ruling on how these rules apply to any user or to Binance.
What Binance itself says about Kenya
Binance’s List of Prohibited Countries (updated 5 January 2026) names the United States, Canada, the Netherlands and sanctioned territories; Kenya is not in it. A Binance blog post dated 16 May 2023 says Binance is not licensed to carry on business in Kenya and does not intend to obtain any regulatory authorisations there, and that Binance is located outside Kenya. We could not re-read this post on 20 October 2026 and have not verified any newer Binance or regulator statement, so we cannot say whether its status has changed since.
M-Pesa and KES on Binance: what official pages show
The Binance P2P page lists “M-PESA Kenya (Safaricom)” as a payment method. Binance’s blog describes P2P as payment directly to the seller, with an escrow service and Level 2 identity verification. This page covers only the P2P route cited here; Binance may offer other M-Pesa routes that we have not verified. We give no step-by-step instructions.
Crypto tax in Kenya
A KRA publication lists the repeal of the Digital Asset Tax and an excise duty of 10% of the excisable value on fees charged by virtual asset providers, effective 1 July 2025. We found no cited source on income tax for individual traders, so we say nothing about it.
Why there is no sign-up button here
We show a sign-up link only where our evidence covers the country and a licence is confirmed. We have no verified licence for Binance in Kenya (a 2023 Binance post says it was not licensed; the regulators had licensed no VASPs on 18 November 2025), so there is no button and no code on this page. Do not use a false country or someone else’s identity to get around a check.
Alternatives
The CMA and CBK said they had not licensed any VASPs. We have not verified a newer official list as of 20 October 2026, so we do not name a licensed alternative.
Sources and checked date
Sources are listed with the page. Checked 20 October 2026 by CryptoCodeHub editorial. Read our editorial policy and how we verify.
Facts and sources
| Fact | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Kenya is not on Binance's List of Prohibited Countries ("Updated - 5 January 2026"); the list names the US, Canada and the Netherlands. Checked 20.10.2026. | Binance: Binance List of Prohibited Countries (Updated - 5 January 2026) | |
| A Binance blog post (16 May 2023) says "Binance is not licensed to carry on business in Kenya and does not intend to obtain any regulatory authorisations in Kenya" and that Binance is located outside Kenya. | Binance: Binance blog on buying crypto with M-Pesa (16 May 2023) | |
| The Binance P2P page for KES is titled "Buy and Sell Using M-PESA Kenya (Safaricom)"; the Binance blog describes P2P payment directly to the seller with an escrow service and Level 2 identity verification. | Binance: Binance P2P - M-PESA Kenya (Safaricom) | |
| The VASP Act 2025 was assented to on 15 October 2025 and commenced on 4 November 2025. | Kenya Law: Virtual Asset Service Providers Act, 2025 (Act No. 20 of 2025) | |
| Section 8(2) of the Act says a person shall not carry on the business of virtual asset services in or from Kenya unless licensed by the relevant regulatory authority; the regulators are the CMA and the CBK (s.5). | Kenya Law: Virtual Asset Service Providers Act, 2025 (Act No. 20 of 2025) | |
| The CBK notice of 18 November 2025 says "CBK and CMA have not licensed any VASPs under the Act to operate in or from Kenya". | Central Bank of Kenya: Public Notice on the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act 2025 (18 November 2025) | |
| The VASP Regulations, 2026 are Legal Notice No. 134 (Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 185, 22 July 2026). | Capital Markets Authority: Virtual Asset Service Providers Regulations, 2026 (Legal Notice No. 134) | |
| The KRA publication lists excise duty of 10% of the excisable value on fees charged on virtual asset transactions by virtual asset providers, effective 1 July 2025, and the repeal of the Digital Asset Tax. | Kenya Revenue Authority: iTax enhancements for July - August 2025 |
FAQ
Is Binance legal in Kenya?
We make no legal ruling. Kenya is not on Binance's List of Prohibited Countries (updated 5 January 2026), but a Binance blog post says Binance is not licensed to carry on business in Kenya. Section 8(2) of the VASP Act 2025 requires a licence, and the CBK and CMA said they had not licensed any VASPs (18 November 2025).
Is Kenya on Binance's restricted list?
No. The List of Prohibited Countries, "Updated - 5 January 2026", names the United States, Canada, the Netherlands and sanctioned territories. Kenya is not in it (read 20 October 2026).
Does Binance have a licence in Kenya?
We cannot confirm a current licence. A Binance post of 16 May 2023 said Binance was not licensed in Kenya, and the CBK and CMA said on 18 November 2025 that they had not licensed any VASPs. We have not verified a current register or newer Binance statement, so this describes those dates, not today's status.
Can I use M-Pesa on Binance?
The Binance P2P page lists "M-PESA Kenya (Safaricom)" as a payment method. Binance's blog describes P2P as payment directly to the seller with escrow, after Level 2 identity verification. We give no step-by-step guide.
Is there a Binance office in Kenya?
The Binance blog says Binance is located outside Kenya (post dated 16 May 2023, read 20 October 2026).
Do I pay tax on crypto in Kenya?
A KRA publication says the Digital Asset Tax was repealed and that excise duty of 10% applies to fees charged by virtual asset providers from 1 July 2025. We make no statement on income tax for individuals.