The National Bank of Georgia is taking a decisive step: starting in 2026, virtual asset service providers will no longer be allowed to operate without full transparency. Under the new requirement, any company offering crypto-related services must visibly display, in every space where it operates — whether it is a headquarters, branch office, self-service kiosk, website, or mobile application — the official registration document issued by the National Bank confirming its status as a Virtual Asset Service Provider.
In practice, this means that customers will be able to see at a glance whether a provider is legally authorized to offer virtual asset services.
According to the National Bank, the amendment has been introduced into the “Rule on Registration and Regulation of Virtual Asset Service Providers” and aims to significantly increase consumer awareness. The new approach eliminates uncertainty and effectively prevents companies operating without registration from misleading users.
With this step, the National Bank seeks to ensure proper enforcement of existing regulations in practice and to further strengthen the supervisory framework for virtual asset services in the country.
The announcement emphasizes that this change will serve as an additional mechanism to help citizens easily determine whether a service provider is legitimate. Put simply, anyone using crypto services will no longer be left in the dark — everything must be transparent and clearly visible.
The National Bank has already been conducting strict monitoring for some time. According to the regulator, it regularly identifies entities that operate on the territory of Georgia, including within Free Industrial Zones, without being registered as Virtual Asset Service Providers. These entities pose a risk to consumers because they are not subject to legally established obligations or supervisory oversight.
For this reason, in October 2025, the National Bank officially warned citizens not to use crypto services offered by unregistered companies, as dealing with such entities carries a high level of risk.
The new regulation will come into force on January 1, 2026, and is expected to significantly reshape the rules governing virtual asset service providers in Georgia.
