Crypto-based real estate transactions face increased scrutiny and regulation by Moroccan officials
The Moroccan government is currently investigating a growing trend of Moroccan nationals using cryptocurrencies to purchase real estate abroad, bypassing legal controls and regulations. These investigations, which began in February 2025, have uncovered the use of popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, Litecoin, and Ripple in such transactions.
The authorities are particularly focused on cases where the anonymity offered by cryptocurrencies might have been used to evade regulations. Suspicious real estate transactions involving Moroccan nationals have been reported in Spain and the UAE, raising concerns about the potential misuse of cryptocurrencies in real estate transactions.
Prominent Moroccan officials have also come under scrutiny, with some reportedly employing dual nationality and foreign identities to obscure their holdings, which include real estate, bank accounts, and securities across Europe, Canada, and Gulf countries. The Foreign Exchange Office of Morocco is leading the investigations, coordinating with foreign counterparts and leveraging international data exchange agreements to track and verify these overseas assets. Travel bans are being considered to prevent suspects from fleeing before the investigations conclude.
These investigations are part of a broader regulatory shift, as Morocco is preparing to legalize and regulate cryptocurrency by 2025, including introducing capital gains and income taxes on crypto activity. Despite regulatory restrictions, crypto adoption in Morocco has grown steadily, making it the top recipient of crypto value in North Africa in 2022. Blockchain analytics firm, Chainalysis rated Morocco as the second fastest-growing crypto market in Africa in 2022 and ranked it in the top 20 worldwide for crypto adoption in 2023.
In 2023, a French national was arrested and prosecuted for purchasing items in Morocco and paying with bitcoin. However, the current investigations into the use of cryptocurrencies in real estate purchases are a response to more recent concerns. Despite no detailed public update beyond July 2025 on the investigations’ outcomes or enforcement actions, the Moroccan government remains committed to ensuring that cryptocurrencies are used in a transparent and legal manner.
- The investigations by the Foreign Exchange Office of Morocco are not only focusing on real estate transactions, but also delving into the use of blockchain technology, specifically Bitcoin, in such activities.
- As Morocco prepares to legalize and regulate cryptocurrencies by 2025, it is essential to understand the role of technology in finance, particularly the misuse of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, in Africa and globally.
- The Moroccan government, while acknowledging the potential of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin for financial growth, is keen on ensuring regulatory compliance, especially in regards to cross-border transactions like real estate purchases, to prevent any potential money laundering or tax evasion scenarios.
