Jordan has ushered in a new phase of digital asset governance by replacing its earlier prohibition with a structured regulatory regime in 2025. This shift is a calibrated approach at encouraging innovation in virtual assets while placing them within a defined legal and supervisory framework. With the enactment of Law No. 14 of 2025 (the Virtual Assets Regulation Law), the Kingdom now licenses virtual asset service providers and imposes clear Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Terrorism Financing (CTF) rules on digital asset activities.
This shift brings Jordan in line with global compliance standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). These changes present both a compliance challenge and a strategic opportunity, one that can be maximize through international legal networks.
From Ban to a Regulated Framework in Jordan
For nearly a decade, Jordan maintaines one of the region’s most restrictive stances on cryptocurrency. Since 2014, the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) had effectively banned banks and financial institutions from dealing in crypto, citing risks like volatility, consumer harm, and money laundering. That prohibition era has now close.
In 2025, Jordan’s government officially recognized virtual assets as a sector needing structured oversight rather than a blanket ban. Law No. 14 of 2025, effective September 14, 2025, established a comprehensive legal regime for virtual assets under the Jordan Securities Commission (JSC). The law requires any core crypto-related activity, such as issuance of tokens, brokerage, operating exchanges, custody, or transfer services, to be licensed or authorized by the JSC. This delineation also clarified regulatory authority: the JSC now oversees virtual assets, while digital securities remain under securities law and digital forms of fiat currency remain under the central bank.
Regulatory Authority: The JSC serves as the primary regulator for virtual asset businesses in Jordan, in coordination with the central bank and other agencies. Notably, licenses can only be granted to companies (juridical “non-natural” persons), not to individual entrepreneurs. This means global fintech players must establish a local corporate presence or partner with one to legally offer crypto services in Jordan. The JSC is empowered to enforce compliance, including rights to inspect providers, suspend activities, and levy penalties for violations.
AML/CTF Obligations Under the New Law
Under Jordan’s new framework, any Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) must meet stringent AML/CTF compliance obligations. Licensed providers are explicitly required to implement robust AML and Counter-Terrorism Financing controls, alongside data protection measures, customer due diligence, and risk management frameworks. The firms must conduct thorough Know-Your-Customer (KYC) checks, monitor transactions for suspicious activity, and maintain records to trace crypto transfers.
Both Jordan’s law and comparable regional frameworks mandate that VASPs obtain and retain complete information on the parties to any virtual asset transfer (the so-called “travel rule” data), to ensure transparency and prevent illicit finance. Moreover, Jordan’s law boldly states that VASP-related bank accounts will not enjoy banking secrecy for inquiries by regulators, emphasizing full transparency in investigations.
The new law brings Jordan into alignment with its neighbors who have embrace crypto regulation, while also satisfying FATF recommendations. For global fintech companies, doing business involving virtual assets in Jordan now demands the same level of compliance rigor expected in leading financial centers.
What Global Fintechs Must Re-Engineer
Global fintech firms and crypto exchanges looking to operate in or service clients in Jordan will need to re-engineer their compliance strategies to adapt to this new legal landscape.
- Local Licensing and Entity Setup: Obtaining a JSC license is now mandatory for all virtual asset activities conducted “for the benefit of others.” Fintechs must establish a local entity (or work through a licensed local partner) since only corporate entities can be licensed as VASPs in Jordan.
- Enhanced KYC and Transaction Monitoring: Companies must strengthen their KYC onboarding and transaction monitoring systems to meet Jordan’s AML standards. Firms will need to capture all require data for transfers and make that information available to authorities, in line with the travel rule and local regulations.
- Data Protection and Consumer Disclosures: Global fintechs should review their data protection practices to comply with Jordan’s privacy requirements and implement clear, non-misleading disclosures about risks associates with virtual asset products. Everything from terms of service to marketing materials may need tweaking to satisfy Jordanian consumer-protection expectations.
- Risk Management Frameworks: Jordan expects VASPs to have robust frameworks to manage operational, cybersecurity, and financial risks. Fintechs may need to revisit their protocols for incident response, wallet security, and fraud prevention. Any security breaches or cyber incidents must be report to relevant authorities under forthcoming JSC instructions.
- Regulatory Reporting and Cooperation: Fintechs will have to train their compliance teams on Jordan’s specific reporting duties. Suspicious transactions must be report to Jordan’s Financial Intelligence Unit (the AMLU) without delay. Likewise, firms should be prepare for regulator inquiries and inspections.
Global fintech players need to realign their operations with Jordan’s regulatory expectations. The costs of non-compliance are too high, especially given Jordan’s determination to enforce international AML/CTF norms. This drive to comply will naturally lead many fintech companies to seek out top-tier legal counsel in Jordan to guide them through licensing and setup, ongoing compliance, and any cross-border legal challenges that arise.
Global Collaboration: A Strategic Edge for Jordan’s Law Firms
For Jordanian law firms, the influx of complex fintech and compliance work represents a significant opportunity. Global fintech companies and financial institutions entering the Jordanian market will gravitate towards firms that not only understand local laws but can also interface with international regulatory regimes. Cross-border coordination is often key in these matters, and this is where international legal networks like Interlegal become invaluable.
In the context of virtual assets, a local firm might need to collaborate with lawyers in a fintech’s home country to reconcile Jordan’s requirements with the company’s global compliance architecture. Belonging to an international network of lawyers greatly facilitates this process. By joining a global lawyers’ network, a law firm in Jordan gains instant access to vetted colleagues worldwide and can coordinate cross-border matters seamlessly. Such membership provides trusted local experts in each jurisdiction on call, which is crucial when dealing with multi-country regulatory issues or when a fintech’s operations span several markets.
Moreover, being part of an international law firm network in Jordan can enhance a firm’s credibility and reach. Clients appreciate the ability of network-affiliated firms to offer one-stop, end-to-end service for cross-border matters, with a single point of contact coordinating international advice. This not only builds client trust but also encourages global clients to stick with the local firm for all needs, rather than turning to a big international firm. Additionally, networks generate referrals. For instance, a foreign fintech client of a partner firm abroad may be referred to the Jordan member for local counsel, creating a pipeline of high-quality international work. Involvement in a lawyers’ network thus positions a Jordanian firm to capture the burgeoning fintech advisory market emerging from the new regulations.
Interlegal is a longstanding global legal alliance that Jordanian firms might consider. As a leading international network of independent law firms, Interlegal spans over 50 countries and admits one member firm per jurisdiction. A member firm in Jordan becomes the network’s exclusive representative in the country, plugging directly into a community of reputable law offices across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. By affiliating with such a network, a firm gains an instant foreign footprint and the ability to market itself as part of an international lawyers’ network, all without the expense of opening overseas offices.
Conclusion
Jordan’s embrace of regulates virtual assets and strict AML/CTF oversight marks a turning point that will ripple through the legal and business community. Global fintech companies eyeing opportunities in Jordan must proactively adjust their compliance and operational frameworks, re-engineering how they meet regulatory obligations in this market. Meanwhile, Jordanian law firms are uniquely position to guide these companies through the compliance maze, provides they can offer both local insight and international coordination.
In a domain as borderless as digital finance, the support of an international lawyers network is increasingly becoming a differentiator for local firms. By leveraging such global alliances, law firms in Jordan can enhance their firm’s profile as the go-to international legal partner in Jordan. This approach ensures that as the fintech sector evolves under new laws, Jordan’s lawyers are not just keeping up, they are setting the pace, collaboratively and confidently, on the world stage.
