Is crypto legal in Libya?

Crypto is not legal in Libya as of October 2026. The central bank declared bitcoin and other virtual currencies illegal in 2018, and no law has since created a way to license crypto activity. Mining has nonetheless grown, drawn by very cheap electricity, and is the main target of enforcement.

Is bitcoin legal in Libya?

No. In 2018 the Central Bank of Libya warned that virtual currencies such as bitcoin are illegal in the country, pointing to money laundering and terrorism financing risks, Cointelegraph reported. The New Arab described this as a ban on all crypto transactions pending legislation to regulate them.

As of December 2025, no such legislation existed. Libya's cybercrime law defines cryptocurrency as stored monetary value not linked to a bank account, but it does not set up rules for exchanges or users. An estimated 54,000 Libyans, about 1.3% of the population, held crypto in 2022. For how Libya compares with its neighbours, see is crypto legal in Egypt and is crypto legal in Tunisia.

Is crypto mining legal in Libya?

There is no law that clearly allows it, and in practice unlicensed mining is treated as illegal. A 2022 Ministry of Economy decree banned imports of mining hardware. Still, Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance estimates put Libya at about 0.6% of global bitcoin hash rate in 2021, the highest share in Africa and the Arab world, Cointelegraph reported.

A Libyan legal expert told The New Arab in December 2025 that mining itself is not inherently a crime under Libyan law. Prosecutors instead charge miners with related offences, such as stealing or misusing electricity, importing banned equipment or laundering proceeds.

Is bitcoin mining legal in Libya if you pay for power?

The sources reviewed describe no permit or license for mining, so paying for electricity does not make an operation legal. Enforcement has been active:

• In June 2023 interior ministry agents raided a farm in Zliten, east of Tripoli, and detained 50 Chinese nationals, and prosecutors said they dismantled another farm in Misrata.
• In April 2024 security forces in Benghazi seized more than 1,000 mining machines from one site.
• In November 2025 nine people running miners in a Zliten steel factory received three-year prison sentences, and the court ordered the machines seized and profits returned to the state.

Officials say illegal farms strain the national grid. Mining was estimated to use about 2% of Libya's electricity at its peak. To understand the process behind these figures, read how does bitcoin mining work and is crypto mining legal.

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