CDABI backs SEC’s regulatory sandbox as game-changer for digital finance
The Ghana Chapter of the Chamber of Digital Assets and Blockchain Innovations (CDABI) has welcomed the introduction of new regulatory guidelines by the Securities and Exchange Commission Ghana aimed at supporting innovation in the country’s digital finance and capital markets sector.
In a statement issued in Accra on March 10, the Chamber described the newly published Securities Industry (Regulatory Sandbox Licensing) Guidelines 2026 as a major step towards strengthening Ghana’s regulatory framework for emerging financial technologies and virtual asset services.
According to CDABI, the guidelines provide a structured and supervised environment for innovative financial products and services to be tested before full-scale deployment within the capital markets.
The Chamber noted that the framework represents a decisive move by the SEC to encourage innovation while ensuring appropriate oversight of new digital finance models.
Particularly significant, it said, was the establishment of a dedicated virtual asset sandbox track under the framework, which aligns with provisions of the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act, 2025. The Chamber said the alignment between the sandbox initiative and the broader legal regime governing virtual asset service providers demonstrated the growing maturity of Ghana’s regulatory architecture.
CDABI said such policy coordination was critical in building investor confidence and positioning Ghana as a destination for responsible innovation in the digital asset industry.
The Chamber also welcomed provisions in the guidelines designed to strengthen investor protection. These include requirements for clear risk disclosures, performance benchmarks and consumer protection safeguards for firms participating in the sandbox programme.
It further noted that the requirement for a minimum 30 per cent local participation by foreign virtual asset service providers would help ensure that Ghanaian interests benefit from the growth of the emerging sector.
CDABI also commended the SEC for providing a transparent application and approval framework for firms seeking to participate in the sandbox programme. The Chamber said the phased process and detailed documentation requirements outlined in the guidelines would help prospective applicants clearly understand the regulatory expectations.
The Chamber indicated that it would continue to work closely with regulators to support the implementation of the new framework and to help industry players navigate the sandbox application process.
CDABI said it collaborates with institutions including the Bank of Ghana and the SEC to promote a well-regulated, transparent and inclusive digital asset market in the country.
The organisation also encouraged capital market operators, financial technology companies and virtual asset service providers to study the guidelines and take advantage of the regulatory sandbox as a platform for innovation and responsible growth in Ghana’s digital finance ecosystem.