Is crypto legal in Costa Rica?

Crypto is legal in Costa Rica as of October 2026. Individuals can buy, hold and use bitcoin, but it is not legal tender, and nobody has to accept it. Since 2026, companies that provide crypto services face registration and anti-money laundering duties.

Is bitcoin legal in Costa Rica?

Yes. The Banco Central de Costa Rica (BCCR) has never prohibited it. In its first statement on the topic in October 2017, the central bank said people and businesses can transact in crypto as long as they follow anti-money laundering rules, CriptoNoticias reported. It also said that crypto falls outside banking regulation and the payment systems it authorizes, so users operate at their own risk and the state takes no responsibility for losses.

Is bitcoin legal tender in Costa Rica?

No. Under the central bank's organic law, the colón is the country's monetary unit, which is why the BCCR said crypto gets none of the protections of official money. The 2026 reform repeats this. It defines a virtual asset as a digital representation of value used for payments or investment, and adds that this does not make it legal tender or a currency recognized by the central bank. That is a different path from El Salvador's bitcoin law.

What are the crypto laws in Costa Rica?

The main law is a reform of Law 7786, the country's anti-money laundering statute. The Legislative Assembly approved it unanimously in a second debate on May 25, 2026, Delfino reported. It was published in La Gaceta on June 19, 2026, as Legislative Decree 10961, and was set to take effect three months after publication, according to Consortium Legal.

Under the reform, crypto service providers, such as exchanges, custodians and transfer services, must:

• Register with SUGEF, which keeps a central registry and can act against unregistered firms.
• Identify customers and beneficial owners and keep transaction records.
• Report suspicious transactions to the financial intelligence unit of the Costa Rican Drug Institute (ICD).
• Apply due diligence above a threshold set by the financial supervisory council CONASSIF.

Registration is not a license to operate. KPMG noted that fines for breaches can reach 5% to 50% of the transaction amount, or 2 to 100 base salaries. These duties mirror global crypto anti-money laundering rules.

Is Costa Rica crypto friendly?

Costa Rica is tolerant rather than promotional. It lets people use crypto freely, does not give it official status, and has now brought providers under anti-money laundering supervision instead of a full licensing regime. For comparison with nearby countries, see is crypto legal in Panama and crypto regulation around the world.

Rules differ by country and change often. Check the regulator or a qualified professional for your own situation.