Ghana’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has admitted 11 companies into its regulatory sandbox to test a range of digital asset products, as the regulator gathers real-time data to finalize comprehensive rules for the emerging market.
Speaking on TV3’s Business Focus on March 23, 2026, Deputy Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Mensah Thompson said the selected firms are piloting diverse innovations, including tokenization of real-world assets, fractionalization of traditional securities, gold-backed tokens, exchange platforms, trading systems, and custodial services.
He explained that “the six-month sandbox period will allow the SEC to closely monitor operations and collect live data through a dedicated supervisory system and the insights gathered will inform the development of guidelines across key areas of the virtual asset ecosystem.”
“These include licensing frameworks for exchanges, brokerage services, tokenization, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), as well as mining and validation,” Thompson noted.
According to him, the regulator’s approach is designed to ensure that future rules reflect actual market practices rather than theoretical assumptions.
He added that, “We want regulations that align with the natural trends of the market, based on what we observe during the pilot phase.”
The Deputy Director-General noted that, the sandbox will operate under strict controls, including transaction limits and enhanced anti-money laundering requirements, to manage risks while allowing innovation.
He further emphasized that, at the end of the pilot, the SEC will assess each participant’s compliance and product readiness. Firms that meet regulatory standards will be considered for full licensing to operate in Ghana’s digital asset market.
