The Bank of Ghana has officially welcomed six companies into its Regulatory Sandbox, a controlled environment where innovative financial products can be tested under close supervision while maintaining market integrity.
The one-year program is designed to validate frameworks for the exchange, custody, administration, and issuance of virtual assets, ensuring that emerging technologies develop responsibly and safely within Ghana’s financial system.
The selected entities: Transika Ltd., One Africa Securities Ltd., Mansu Technologies Ltd., Payafrione Gh Ltd, Akuna Wallet Ltd., and Afrix Paycoin Ltd., will work closely with the Bank, testing products, providing feedback, and demonstrating compliance with Ghana’s emerging regulatory standards.
According to the release, “The Regulatory Sandbox allows innovators to develop responsibly while giving the Bank critical insights to shape frameworks that protect consumers and strengthen the financial ecosystem.”
The Bank also emphasized that it reserves the right to withdraw approval from any participant in the event of non-performance or non-compliance with applicable requirements.
Virtual Assets
Virtual assets, also known as digital or crypto-assets, are digital representations of value that can be traded, exchanged, or used for payments. They include cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, tokenized securities, and other blockchain-based financial instruments.
Over the past decade, these assets have surged in popularity, offering new ways for individuals and businesses to transact, store value, and access financial services.
While virtual assets present opportunities for financial inclusion and efficiency, they also carry unique risks, including fraud, money laundering, and volatility. In response, Ghana recently passed a bill to regulate virtual assets, providing a legal framework for digital finance and creating clear rules for both innovators and consumers.
For regulators like the Bank of Ghana, this legislation helps ensure that innovation occurs within a safe and well-governed environment.
Regulatory Sandbox
Regulatory sandboxes provide a structured environment where fintech companies can pilot new products and services under supervision. This approach allows the Bank to observe how technologies perform in practice, identify potential risks, and refine policies before rolling them out broadly.
For Ghana, the sandbox is a critical step toward building a future-ready financial ecosystem. It gives innovators space to test products in real-world conditions, while the Bank monitors compliance, governance, and operational risk. This ensures that promising new technologies can scale responsibly without compromising consumer protection or financial stability.
Advancing Innovation in Ghana
The sandbox initiative is part of the Bank of Ghana’s broader strategy to foster innovation while safeguarding the financial system.
Over recent years, the Bank has implemented frameworks for mobile money interoperability, digital payments, and fintech partnerships, creating a supportive environment for the country’s growing digital finance sector.
By admitting six firms into the sandbox, the Bank is exploring how virtual assets can drive financial inclusion, efficiency, and secure digital transactions. Products such as digital wallets, crypto exchanges, blockchain-based payment systems, and tokenized financial services will benefit from this structured testing environment.
For businesses, participation in the sandbox offers a safe space to innovate, refine products, and navigate regulatory requirements with guidance from the Bank. Startups and established fintechs alike can experiment with new technologies while minimizing risks.
As virtual assets and other digital finance tools play an increasingly central role in economic activity, the Regulatory Sandbox will be pivotal in determining how these technologies integrate safely and effectively into Ghana’s financial system.
