Is crypto mining legal in Kenya?

Crypto mining in Kenya is legal in the sense that no law bans it, and no mining-specific licence exists. Kenya's 2025 crypto law regulates service providers that deal with customers, not people or firms running mining machines. The questions that matter most to miners are about power supply and general business rules. For the wider crypto picture, see is crypto legal in Kenya.

Is there a crypto mining law in Kenya?

No dedicated one. The Virtual Asset Service Providers Act 2025 applies to providers offering virtual asset services in Kenya. Its First Schedule lists the activities that need a licence, split between the Central Bank of Kenya and the Capital Markets Authority:

• custodial wallets, payment processors and stablecoin issuance, under the Central Bank
• exchanges, brokers, investment advisers, asset managers, coin offerings and tokenisation platforms, under the Capital Markets Authority

Mining and miners are not mentioned anywhere in the Act. A business that mines for itself is therefore outside the licensing list, though a firm that also runs an exchange or holds customers' coins would need the matching licence. Normal company, tax, import and electricity rules still apply to any mining business. As far back as 2022, crypto.news reported that Kenya had no legislation governing bitcoin mining, and the 2025 Act did not change that.

What is Kenya's bitcoin mining geothermal opportunity?

Kenya's grid is mostly renewable. Citing the US International Trade Administration, Cointelegraph reported that more than 80% of Kenya's electricity comes from renewable sources, with geothermal the largest share.

In June 2022 the state-controlled power producer KenGen said it would offer surplus geothermal power to bitcoin mining firms. Miners would have to set up at its main geothermal plant, about 123 km from Nairobi, and some had asked to start at 20 MW. In May 2024 Marathon Digital announced an agreement with Kenya's Ministry of Energy and Petroleum covering research, policy ideas and energy infrastructure. Cointelegraph noted the agreement carried no stated financial terms or regulatory approvals.

As of November 2026 we found no published special electricity tariff or permit system for miners. How mines use power is covered in how much electricity bitcoin mining uses.

How is crypto mining taxed in Kenya?

Kenya's crypto-specific tax has moved away from transactions. Deloitte says the Finance Act 2025 repealed the 3% digital asset tax and introduced a 10% excise duty on the fees that virtual asset service providers charge. That duty targets platform fees, and Deloitte's analysis does not mention miners. Mining income falls under the general tax rules described in how crypto is taxed in Kenya, and other countries' approaches are compared in how crypto mining is taxed.

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