Belarus Registers First Crypto Banks Under New Regulatory Framework

Belarus has become one of the first countries in the world to register crypto banks, institutions that merge digital token operations with conventional banking under a single roof. Two such entities were registered on September 28, 2026, within the country's High-Tech Park (HTP), a special economic zone established in 2005.

The registrations follow the implementation of Presidential Decree No. 19, signed by President Alexander Lukashenko on January 16, 2026. The decree's core provisions took effect around July after a six-month period reserved for drafting supporting regulations.

These new institutions must operate as joint-stock companies and hold formal resident status within the HTP, which functions as a regulatory sandbox with its own set of tax incentives and oversight mechanisms. They answer to both the HTP administration and the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus simultaneously.