Haiti

**Report on the Current Status of Retail Cryptocurrency Trading in Haiti**

**Date:** April 12, 2025

**Topic:** Retail_Trading_Status

**Description:** Assess whether individual citizens and residents in the country are legally permitted to buy, sell, and hold cryptocurrencies. Detail the regulatory environment surrounding this activity (e.g., KYC/AML requirements imposed on platforms, general warnings issued).

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**1. Current Status:** `Unclear`

**2. Detailed Narrative Explanation:**

The legal and regulatory status of retail cryptocurrency trading in Haiti remains officially undefined and ambiguous. There is currently no specific legislation or regulation enacted by the Haitian government or the central bank, Banque de la République d'Haïti (BRH), that explicitly permits, prohibits, or governs the buying, selling, or holding of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin by individual citizens.

Several sources confirm this lack of a formal regulatory framework:
*   Legal analyses indicate that Haiti has not enacted specific laws for cryptocurrency, leading to a situation described as "controversial" or "undecided" regarding its legal standing.
*   The BRH has shown awareness of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology, evidenced by the existence of an informational brochure on the topic listed on their website and past explorations (around 2019) into the possibility of launching a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). However, these explorations have not resulted in concrete action regarding a CBDC, nor have they translated into regulations for private cryptocurrencies.
*   While there is no explicit ban on cryptocurrency activities by the Haitian state, the absence of clear rules creates uncertainty. Some sources interpret this lack of prohibition as implicit permission or a "neutral" stance, suggesting that activities are tolerated or "crypto-friendly" to some extent. However, others emphasize that the country has yet to establish an official position.

In practice, Haitian citizens appear to engage in cryptocurrency trading, primarily through international exchanges and peer-to-peer platforms that operate globally. Platforms like Binance, Coinbase, Kraken, and P2P services have been mentioned as accessible to Haitians. However, access is not universal; some major platforms, such as Bitcoin.com and Crypto.com, explicitly restrict users from Haiti, often citing compliance with "international and/or local regulations" or internal risk assessments, potentially influenced by factors like Haiti's political instability and its inclusion on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) "grey list" for deficiencies in its Anti-Money Laundering/Counter-Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regime.

Regarding regulatory requirements like Know Your Customer (KYC) and AML:
*   There is no evidence of specific KYC/AML regulations imposed *by Haiti* on cryptocurrency platforms operating within or serving Haitian residents.
*   However, Haitians using international exchanges are generally subject to the KYC/AML policies implemented by those platforms themselves. These policies are often driven by regulations in the platforms' home jurisdictions (e.g., US, EU) or by global standards like those set by FATF. Therefore, Haitian users accessing major platforms would likely need to undergo identity verification procedures.
*   The FATF continues to pressure jurisdictions globally, including those on the grey list like Haiti, to implement robust AML/CFT measures for virtual assets and virtual asset service providers (VASPs). Failure to do so could maintain or increase international financial scrutiny.

In summary, while retail cryptocurrency trading is not explicitly banned in Haiti and appears to occur in practice via international platforms, the complete lack of a domestic legal or regulatory framework renders the official status `Unclear`. The environment is characterized by regulatory silence rather than defined permission or restriction, leaving users and platforms operating in a grey area subject to the policies of international exchanges and the potential implications of Haiti's broader financial regulatory standing (e.g., FATF status).

**3. Specific Relevant Text Excerpts:**

*   **Freeman Law:** "Haiti has not currently enacted regulations or legislation specifically regulating cryptocurrency yet. Therefore, the legal status of cryptocurrency in Haiti is controversial." (Summarizing the core issue of regulatory absence).
*   **Proelium Law LLP (Cryptocurrency Regulation Tracker):** "Haiti. Undecided. No legal status for cryptocurrencies. There is no cryptocurrency regulation." (Directly stating the lack of legal status and regulation).
*   **CoinGecko (December 2023):** "Six American countries - Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Nicaragua, Paraguay, and Uruguay - have yet to establish their official stance on cryptocurrency." (Positioning Haiti among countries without a defined policy).
*   **Fideum Blog (August 2024):** "There is no outright ban, but the central financial authority of Haiti is both curious and cautious of the potential impact at a time of such instability." (Highlighting the lack of a ban but also the central bank's cautious, non-committal stance).
*   **Bitcoin.com Support Center:** Lists Haiti among "Countries which are restricted from using buy/sell features on Bitcoin.com" due to "international and/or local regulations." (Illustrating practical restrictions by some platforms).
*   **Crypto.com Help Center:** Lists Haiti among locations "restricted from using the Crypto.com App." (Further evidence of platform-level restrictions).
*   **Banque de la République d'Haïti (BRH) Website:** Lists an informational brochure titled "BITCOIN, les crypto-monnaies et la technologie du blockchain" among its publications. (Indicating awareness by the central bank, though not regulation).
*   **Bitt Inc. Press Release (June 2019):** "According to BRH, they are “considering a pilot to create a digital version of the Haitian Gourde, which aims to improve the domestic payments system and promote financial inclusion in Haiti”." (Referencing past CBDC considerations by the BRH, distinct from private crypto regulation).

**4. Direct URL Links to Sources:**

*   **Freeman Law:** https://freemanlaw.com/haiti-and-cryptocurrency/
*   **Proelium Law LLP (Cryptocurrency Regulation Tracker):** https://www.proeliumlaw.com/crypto-regulation-tracker (Note: Direct link to Haiti section may not be possible, requires navigating the tracker)
*   **CoinGecko:** https://www.coingecko.com/research/publications/crypto-legal-illegal-countries
*   **Fideum Blog:** https://fideum.com/blog/crypto-regulations-around-the-world/
*   **Bitcoin.com Support Center:** https://support.bitcoin.com/en/articles/3509068-list-of-restricted-countries
*   **Crypto.com Help Center:** https://help.crypto.com/en/articles/5333764-crypto-com-app-geo-restrictions
*   **Banque de la République d'Haïti (BRH) - Brochures:** https://www.brh.ht/brochures-informations/ (Specific brochure content not directly linked, only listed)
*   **Bitt Inc. Press Release:** https://www.bitt.com/media-center/bank-of-the-republic-of-haiti-ready-to-consider-digital-currency