1. Overview
AfriVest operates as a regulated digital asset infrastructure provider, maintaining compliance with the laws and regulations of every jurisdiction in which it operates. Our compliance architecture is built upon six international regulatory pillars and adapted to the specific requirements of each African nation. This page provides a summary of our regulatory posture, licensing status, and the standards that govern our operations.
2. International Standards Alignment
AfriVest's platform is designed to satisfy the requirements of the following international regulatory bodies and standards:
Financial Action Task Force (FATF)
AfriVest is aligned with the full suite of FATF preventive measures for Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs), including Recommendation 15 (new technologies), Recommendation 16 (Travel Rule for virtual asset transfers), and Recommendations 10 to 21 (customer due diligence, record keeping, and suspicious transaction reporting). Our AML/CTF program is independently audited against FATF standards.
International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO)
Tokenized instruments on the AfriVest platform comply with IOSCO's 18 Policy Recommendations for Crypto and Digital Asset Markets (November 2023). These recommendations address: governance and conflicts of interest, order handling and trade disclosures, admission to trading, market abuse prevention, cross-border cooperation, custody of client assets, operational and technological risk, and retail distribution standards.
ISO 20022
AfriVest's cross-border settlement layer natively conforms to ISO 20022 structured data schemas, the global standard for financial messaging adopted by SWIFT for all cross-border payments since November 2025. This ensures seamless interoperability between blockchain-native transactions and traditional banking infrastructure.
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Our stablecoin architecture is aligned with the IMF's CBDC Virtual Handbook principles, ensuring readiness for integration with central bank digital currencies as they emerge across the continent. The platform can serve as a distribution layer, identity provider, or interoperability bridge for national CBDC implementations.
Financial Stability Board (FSB)
AfriVest incorporates the FSB's 2023 High-Level Recommendations for crypto-asset activities, with particular attention to financial stability monitoring, reserve transparency for stablecoins, and systemic risk controls.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Tokenized instruments follow the OECD's 2024 guidance on tokenisation of assets and distributed ledger technologies in financial markets, ensuring appropriate investor protection, disclosure requirements, and regulatory reporting.
3. Jurisdictional Compliance
Zimbabwe
AfriVest's primary operational market. Compliance includes: Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) AML/CFT Guidelines, Securities and Exchange Commission registration for tokenized instruments, Cooperative Societies Act compliance for cooperative governance features, Exchange Control Regulations for cross-border transactions, and Data Protection Act alignment for user data handling.
South Africa
Compliance with the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) framework for Crypto Asset Service Providers (effective June 2023), Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA) for AML/CTF reporting, FATF Travel Rule implementation, and engagement with the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) on stablecoin and CBDC matters.
Kenya
Alignment with the Virtual Asset Service Providers Bill (signed October 2025), regulatory oversight by the Central Bank of Kenya and Capital Markets Authority, and compliance with the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act.
Nigeria
Compliance with the Investment and Securities Act 2025, Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission oversight for digital asset activities, and Central Bank of Nigeria requirements for licensed digital asset providers.
Expansion Markets
AfriVest conducts comprehensive regulatory assessments before entering any new jurisdiction. Our expansion framework includes: legal landscape analysis, direct regulatory engagement, framework co-development where regulation is nascent, licensing/registration, and ongoing compliance monitoring.
4. Licensing & Registration
AfriVest maintains or is in the process of obtaining the following registrations and licenses in its operating jurisdictions:
- Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) registration
- Securities dealer/issuer licensing for tokenized instruments
- Payment service provider registration for stablecoin operations
- Data processor registration under applicable data protection laws
- Cooperative apex body recognition for governance services
Specific license numbers and registration details are available upon request to authorized parties and regulatory bodies.
5. Compliance Architecture
AfriVest operates a four-layer compliance architecture:
- Layer 1, Identity Verification (CDD): Biometric liveness detection, document OCR, facial matching, address verification, and sanctions screening at onboarding
- Layer 2, Transaction Monitoring: Real-time AML screening, pattern analysis, velocity controls, and dynamic risk scoring on every transaction
- Layer 3, Enhanced Due Diligence: Heightened scrutiny for PEPs, high-risk jurisdictions, complex structures, and elevated risk scores
- Layer 4, Regulatory Reporting: Automated STR filing, Travel Rule compliance, central bank reporting, and immutable audit trails
6. Self-Sovereign Identity Identity Protocol
AfriVest's proprietary Decentralized Digital Identity Protocol (Self-Sovereign Identity) provides the identity infrastructure for all compliance operations. The protocol incorporates:
- Self-sovereign identity: Users own and control their verified credentials
- W3C DID/VC standards: Interoperable with global decentralized identity systems
- Zero-knowledge proofs: Privacy-preserving compliance verification
- Cross-border portability: Single verified identity across all operating jurisdictions
7. Governance Structure
AfriVest's compliance program is governed by:
- Board of Directors: Ultimate responsibility for compliance culture and oversight
- Chief Compliance Officer: Day-to-day management of the compliance program
- Money Laundering Reporting Officer: STR decisions and FIU liaison in each jurisdiction
- Compliance Committee: Periodic review of policies and program effectiveness
- External Auditors: Independent assessment of compliance adequacy
- Legal Advisory Panel: Jurisdiction-specific legal guidance and regulatory interpretation
8. Regulator Engagement
AfriVest maintains proactive relationships with regulators in all operating jurisdictions. Our engagement model includes:
- Regular supervisory meetings and compliance updates
- Participation in regulatory sandbox programs where available
- Technical assistance for regulatory framework development
- Immediate notification of material compliance events
- Full cooperation with examinations, investigations, and information requests
9. Stablecoin Reserve Transparency
AfriVest stablecoins are designed to be backed 1:1 by high-quality liquid assets held in segregated accounts at regulated financial institutions, with reserve attestation planned as the regime is established. The reserve model described here is a design target for a pre-launch product, not a representation of an operating reserve.
- On-chain reserve attestations (planned)
- Independent auditor verification (planned)
- Reserve composition reporting (planned)
- Regulatory examination access to reserve accounts (planned)
10. Tokenized Securities Oversight
Tokenized instruments issued on AfriVest's platform are subject to:
- Securities regulation in the issuance jurisdiction
- Prospectus-equivalent disclosure requirements
- Independent trusteeship and escrow arrangements
- Ongoing financial reporting to token holders
- Annual external audit
- Market surveillance and abuse prevention
11. Operational Resilience
In accordance with IOSCO Recommendation 17, AfriVest maintains comprehensive operational resilience including: multi-region infrastructure deployment, 4-hour recovery time objectives, zero data loss for transaction records, annual disaster recovery testing, 24/7 security operations monitoring, and structured incident response procedures with regulatory notification within 72 hours.
12. Whistleblower Protection
AfriVest maintains a confidential whistleblower channel for reporting suspected compliance violations, fraud, or misconduct. Whistleblowers are protected from retaliation in accordance with applicable law. Reports can be submitted anonymously through our secure reporting portal.
13. Contact Regulatory Affairs
For regulatory inquiries, supervisory matters, or compliance-related questions:
- Regulatory Affairs: regulatory@afrivest.org
- Compliance Team: compliance@afrivest.org
- General Inquiries: info@afrivest.org
- Website: www.afrivest.org