Kenya and Ghana have introduced new regulatory frameworks for virtual asset service providers (VASP) to combat fraud and illicit financial flows in their rapidly expanding digital asset markets. These measures aim to improve transaction traceability and close gaps exploited by cybercriminals, reflecting a broader governmental effort across Africa to tighten oversight.

• Africa recorded USD 205 billion in on-chain crypto transactions between July 2024 and June 2025, making it the third-fastest-growing market globally.
• The new VASP laws require crypto platforms to meet stricter compliance, reporting, and cybersecurity standards, including user verification, reporting suspicious transactions, and operational licensing.
• Africa is estimated to lose USD 88.6 billion annually through illicit financial flows, with crypto-linked schemes accounting for an increasing share.

Cartels are an "invisible tax" on consumers, leading to increased prices and stifled economic growth, according to David Kemei, Director-General at the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK). The CAK is intensifying efforts to combat cartel behavior across various sectors.

• Cartels can inflate prices by 20% – 25%, as indicated by studies from the World Bank and OECD.
• The CAK has penalized steel manufacturers over KES 338 Million in August 2023 and paint manufacturers KES 66 Million in 2021 for cartel conduct.
• The CAK has invested KES 45 Million in a forensics laboratory to enhance evidence gathering and offers leniency for voluntary disclosure of cartel activities.

The Supreme Court of Kenya has ruled that banks are not required to register new securities for additional credit, a decision set to significantly reduce compliance costs and bolster confidence in long-term lending. This landmark judgment overturns a 2022 Court of Appeal ruling, providing a major win for lenders amidst rising regulatory pressures.

• The ruling stems from a dispute between Standard Chartered Financial Services Limited and Manchester Outfitters (Suiting Division).
• The Supreme Court affirmed that existing debentures or charges remain valid until formally discharged, even when restructuring or advancing subsequent facilities.
• The case involved a Euro Currency Loan from 1982, later converted to a Sh9 million local facility in 1987.