Central Bank of Jordan Crypto Policy: What You Need to Know in 2025

Before September 2025, owning or trading cryptocurrency in Jordan was a legal gray zone - not officially legal, but not strictly enforced either. People used peer-to-peer apps, WhatsApp groups, and international exchanges to buy Bitcoin and Ethereum. But that changed overnight when Law No. 14 of 2025 came into force. This wasn’t just a tweak to old rules. It was a full overhaul. The Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) didn’t just lift a ban - it built a new system from scratch, and now everything hinges on one question: Are you licensed?

The Shift from Ban to Regulation

For over a decade, the Central Bank of Jordan warned banks and financial institutions not to touch cryptocurrency. Circular No. 2014-02-20 made it clear: no Bitcoin transactions, no crypto exchanges, no facilitation of any kind. The message was simple - avoid it. But as global adoption surged and neighbors like the UAE opened their doors, Jordan’s stance became a liability. In 2023, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) put Jordan on its grey list for weak anti-money laundering controls. The pressure was real. And by early 2025, the government knew it had to act.

The result? Law No. 14 of 2025, the Virtual Assets Transactions Regulation Law. It didn’t just allow crypto - it demanded control. Now, any business or individual offering crypto services in Jordan must get a license from the Jordan Securities Commission (JSC). That includes exchanges, wallet providers, trading platforms, even crypto ATMs. Operating without one? That’s a crime. Minimum one year in prison. Fines up to $141,000. No warnings. No second chances.

Who’s in Charge Now?

The Central Bank of Jordan still controls the country’s money - but not crypto. That job went to the Jordan Securities Commission. The JSC is now the gatekeeper. They decide who gets licensed, who gets audited, and who gets shut down. And their rules are strict.

To even apply, you need to pay $42,250 in fees: $7,000 for the initial application, $21,000 for compliance documentation, and another $14,000 for the final operational review. That’s not a typo. For a small startup, that’s more than most Jordanians earn in a year. And that’s just to get in the door. Once licensed, you need to hire a full-time AML officer, install real-time transaction monitoring software, and report every trade over $14,000 to the Anti-Money Laundering Unit. Records must be kept for five years. And you have to follow the Travel Rule - meaning you must pass customer data to other crypto platforms, just like banks do with wire transfers.

What’s Still Banned?

Not everything crypto-related is covered. The law specifically excludes Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). That’s still under the Central Bank’s control. And digitized stocks or bonds? Those are under the JSC too - but only if they’re tied to traditional securities. So if you’re building a token that represents real estate or shares in a company, you’re playing by different rules.

Also, the law doesn’t ban individuals from holding crypto. You can still buy Bitcoin on Binance or Coinbase and store it in your wallet. But if you try to sell it to someone in Jordan, or run a P2P trading group, or set up a local exchange - you’re breaking the law unless you’re licensed. That’s why most Jordanians still use international platforms. They’re not illegal to use - just illegal to operate locally.

How Does Jordan Compare to Its Neighbors?

Jordan isn’t the only country in the region trying to figure out crypto. But it’s the first to go from total ban to full regulation in under two years.

In the UAE, you’ve got free zones like Dubai’s DMCC and Abu Dhabi’s ADGM with clear, business-friendly rules. Over 500,000 people trade crypto daily there. In Bahrain, you’ve got a sandbox approach - startups get testing licenses before full approval. But in Kuwait, Egypt, and Iraq? Crypto is still outright illegal. No gray area. No exceptions.

Jordan sits in the middle. It’s not as open as the UAE, but it’s not as closed as its neighbors. The upside? It’s now aligned with global standards. The downside? It’s late to the party. By the time Jordan opened its doors, most big players had already picked their markets. The UAE, Singapore, and even Saudi Arabia are ahead. Jordan’s challenge now is convincing them to come.

Who’s Struggling the Most?

The law was written with big firms in mind - the kind with legal teams, compliance departments, and venture capital backing. But Jordan’s crypto scene is mostly made up of small operators. People who ran P2P trading groups out of their homes. Local tech startups trying to build crypto-based remittance tools. Freelancers who got paid in Bitcoin.

A survey by the Jordan Fintech Association found 73% of small businesses don’t have the technical tools to meet AML monitoring requirements. Another 68% say they can’t afford the licensing fees. And there’s a skills gap. The National Employment Council says Jordan is short by 40% of the professionals needed to run compliant crypto operations. That means even if you have the money, you can’t find the people to make it work.

One local operator, Ahmed Al-Rawashdeh, ran an informal crypto exchange for three years before the law passed. He told CoinTelegraph Middle East: “The rules are fair, but we don’t even know what the capital requirements are. How are we supposed to prepare?”

What’s Next?

The government isn’t stopping here. A ministerial committee is already working on rules for decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms - expected by early 2026. The Central Bank of Jordan is also planning a pilot for its own digital currency, a CBDC, by late 2026. And there’s talk of making Jordan a hub for Sharia-compliant crypto - something that could attract Islamic investors across the Middle East.

But the real test is execution. The Jordan Securities Commission has only 12 staff members dedicated to crypto oversight. Their help desk has a 68% satisfaction rate. Users complain about slow responses and unclear guidelines. And FATF will be watching closely. If Jordan doesn’t show real results - actual arrests, real enforcement, real reporting - it could stay on the grey list for years.

What Should You Do?

If you’re a Jordanian citizen holding crypto: you’re not breaking the law. Keep it safe. Don’t trade it locally unless you’re licensed.

If you’re running a crypto business in Jordan: you have two choices. Either shut down, or apply for a license - and be ready to spend tens of thousands of dollars and months of time. There’s no middle ground.

If you’re an investor or tech company looking at the region: Jordan is risky. The rules are clear, but the system is untested. The market is big - over a million users - but the path to profit is narrow. The UAE still wins on scale. Bahrain wins on flexibility. Jordan? It’s betting on compliance.

Can Jordan Pull This Off?

Experts are divided. Dr. Mohammad Al-Husseini from the National Council for Future Technology says this is Jordan’s chance to modernize its economy. But analyst Layla Mansour warns the sudden shift from prohibition to regulation could create chaos. “Regulators didn’t have time to train. Businesses didn’t have time to adapt,” she says.

The numbers give some hope. Fitch Solutions predicts Jordan’s crypto market could grow from $150 million in 2024 to $750 million by 2027. That’s a 71% annual growth rate - one of the highest in the region. But that only happens if people trust the system. And right now, trust is still in short supply.

The real question isn’t whether the law is good. It’s whether Jordan has the capacity to make it work. And that’s still being written.