Algeria Cryptocurrency Ban: What’s Really Happening and How It Compares to Other Countries

When Algeria banned cryptocurrency in 2017, it wasn’t just about controlling money—it was about controlling access. The Algeria cryptocurrency ban, a legal prohibition on all crypto transactions issued by the central bank. Also known as crypto prohibition in Algeria, it made buying, selling, or even holding Bitcoin or Ethereum illegal under national law. Unlike countries that target exchanges or mining, Algeria went straight for the source: any financial activity tied to digital assets. The goal? Prevent capital flight and protect the Algerian dinar from volatility.

This ban doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s part of a global pattern where governments fear losing control over money. Compare it to China’s crypto prohibition, a system enforced by tech giants like Alipay and WeChat Pay that block crypto-linked payments in real time, or Afghanistan’s crypto ban, imposed by the Taliban after 2022, labeling Bitcoin as haram. In Algeria, the ban is less high-tech but just as strict: banks can’t process crypto payments, and local platforms can’t list digital assets. Yet, like in Afghanistan, people still find ways. Underground P2P trades happen. Some use foreign exchanges with VPNs. Others trade USDT via informal networks—especially in cities like Algiers and Oran, where inflation is rising and savings are shrinking.

What’s missing in Algeria is the infrastructure to make the ban truly effective. No one’s monitoring every phone or wallet. No one’s tracking every transfer. The law exists on paper, but enforcement is uneven. That’s why you’ll find Algerians using crypto—not because they’re tech-savvy rebels, but because they need to send money home, buy goods from abroad, or protect their savings from devaluation. It’s not about ideology. It’s about survival.

The same tension shows up in other places. Australia doesn’t ban privacy coins like Monero outright, but it forces exchanges to drop them. Switzerland lets you pay taxes in Bitcoin. El Salvador made it legal tender—and still struggles to get people to use it. Each country’s approach reflects its economy, politics, and tech access. Algeria’s ban is rooted in control, not innovation. But control doesn’t stop demand. It just pushes it underground.

Below, you’ll find real stories and deep dives into how crypto bans work—and how they fail. From how Alipay enforces China’s rules to how Afghans use Bitcoin when banks are frozen, these posts show the same pattern: when people need crypto, they find a way. The ban isn’t the end of the story. It’s just the beginning.