What does it take to get an e-money licence in Lesotho?
To hold an e-money licence in Lesotho, you need the Mobile Money Issuers licence from Central Bank of Lesotho. Published minimum capital: M 500,000 (five hundred thousand Maloti / LSL) core capital, to be held at the time of licensing and at all times (reg 16, Schedule 2). 5 entities currently hold an e-money licence in Lesotho. Full requirements — minimum capital, local presence, timeline, local ownership, fees and ongoing obligations — are set out below in each instrument's own words, with source and date; amounts are in the statute's own currency.
“E-money issuance” here is the normalized activity: Issue stored-value / electronic money redeemable at par and hold the customer float. The category of licence that lets a provider keep customers' money.
Activity id (as used by the Afriset MCP): fintech:EMONEY_ISSUE
Mobile Money Issuers
Central Bank of Lesotho| Requirement | As published | Source | Source date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum capital | M 500,000 (five hundred thousand Maloti / LSL) core capital, to be held at the time of licensing and at all times (reg 16, Schedule 2). Verbatim“Electronic Payment Instrument Issuer M 500,000 … hold a core capital as set out in Schedule 2” | Payment Systems (Issuers of Electronic Payments Instruments) Regulations, 2017 (LN No. 30 of 2017) — reg 7 (application/form), reg 13 (validity/fees), reg 16 + Schedule 2 (core capital), Schedule 3 (fees), Schedule 4 (trust account) | 2017-03-31 |
| Local presence / incorporation | A licensed issuer must be a company — a body corporate incorporated or registered under the Lesotho Companies Act. Verbatim“incorporated or registered in accordance with the Companies Act 2011 or the Companies Act 1967” | Payment Systems (Issuers of Electronic Payments Instruments) Regulations, 2017 (LN No. 30 of 2017) — reg 7 (application/form), reg 13 (validity/fees), reg 16 + Schedule 2 (core capital), Schedule 3 (fees), Schedule 4 (trust account) | 2017-03-31 |
| Timeline | Licence validity: A licence is granted for a period of one year, renewable, subject to the licensing fee in Schedule 3 (reg 13(1)). Verbatim“A license shall be granted for a period of one year and shall be subject to the licensing fee set out in Schedule 3.” | Payment Systems (Issuers of Electronic Payments Instruments) Regulations, 2017 (LN No. 30 of 2017) — reg 7 (application/form), reg 13 (validity/fees), reg 16 + Schedule 2 (core capital), Schedule 3 (fees), Schedule 4 (trust account) | 2017-03-31 |
| Local ownership | No such requirement: The Regulations impose no local-shareholding or nationality cap on an issuer of electronic payment instruments. | Payment Systems (Issuers of Electronic Payments Instruments) Regulations, 2017 (LN No. 30 of 2017) — reg 7 (application/form), reg 13 (validity/fees), reg 16 + Schedule 2 (core capital), Schedule 3 (fees), Schedule 4 (trust account) | 2017-03-31 |
| Fees | Registration fee M500; Licence fee M1000; Renewal fee M1000 (Schedule 3). Verbatim“Registration Fee License Fee License Renewal Fee Electronic Payment M500 M1000 M1000 Instrument Issuer” | Payment Systems (Issuers of Electronic Payments Instruments) Regulations, 2017 (LN No. 30 of 2017) — reg 7 (application/form), reg 13 (validity/fees), reg 16 + Schedule 2 (core capital), Schedule 3 (fees), Schedule 4 (trust account) | 2017-03-31 |
| Ongoing obligations | A value has been located but not yet verified, so we don't publish it here. | — | — |
Requirements as published in the cited instruments — not legal or compliance advice. Capital and fees are shown in the currency the statute itself uses. Where a value is located but not yet verified, we show that it exists but don't publish the figure. Verify directly with the regulator.
Maintained: this official source is re-checked on a weekly schedule — last checked 2026-08-04 · unchanged since the previous check.
Who already holds this licence?
5 entities are on the Central Bank of Lesotho register under the Mobile Money Issuers category — view the register .
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