What does it take to get an e-money licence in Tanzania?
To hold an e-money licence in Tanzania, you need the Electronic Money Issuer licence from Bank of Tanzania. Published minimum capital: TZS 500,000,000 ("Five Hundred Million"), maintained at all times. 6 entities currently hold an e-money licence in Tanzania. 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
Electronic Money Issuer
Bank of Tanzania| Requirement | As published | Source | Source date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum capital | TZS 500,000,000 ("Five Hundred Million"), maintained at all times Verbatim“An electronic money issuer shall maintain at all times a minimum capital as set out in the First Schedule … Electronic money issuer … Minimum Capital: Five Hundred Million … Five Hundred Million” | The Electronic Money Regulations, 2015 (GN under the NPS Act 2015; made under s.56) | not dated |
| Local presence / incorporation | Separate legal entity required for a non-bank/non-FI issuer; certificate of incorporation; trust/special account in a bank in Tanzania Verbatim“A payment system provider, who is a non-bank or a non-financial institution, shall establish a separate legal entity for issuance of electronic money … copy of certificate of incorporation” | The Electronic Money Regulations, 2015 (GN under the NPS Act 2015; made under s.56) | not dated |
| Timeline | Processing: grant/reject within 30 days of a complete application; certificate within 7 days of licence-fee receipt. Validity: co-terminous with the provider's PSP licence. Verbatim“The Bank shall, within thirty days following receipt of an application … either grant or reject … … remain valid for the duration of the service provider's licence unless suspended or revoked” | The Electronic Money Regulations, 2015 (GN under the NPS Act 2015; made under s.56) | not dated |
| Local ownership | No such requirement: No local/citizen shareholding percentage in the Regulations | The Electronic Money Regulations, 2015 (GN under the NPS Act 2015; made under s.56) | not dated |
| Fees | Licence Fee TZS 2,000,000; Renewal TZS 2,000,000. A "non-refundable application fee" is referenced but not itemised as a figure. Verbatim“proof of payment of a non-refundable application fee provided in First Schedule … Electronic money issuer — Licence Fee: Two Million · Licence Renewal Fee: Two Million” | The Electronic Money Regulations, 2015 (GN under the NPS Act 2015; made under s.56) | not dated |
| Ongoing obligations | Funds held 1:1 in a trust account in a bank; e-money issued in TZS; trust deposits >TZS 500m split to a second bank; a bank may not hold trust deposits >50% of its core capital; AML/CFT; monthly returns (Form G); renewal ≥6 months before expiry; prior BoT approval to change shareholding Verbatim“amount of electronic money in circulation … equivalent to the funds deposited in the trust account or special account … Electronic money shall be issued in Tanzania Shillings … A bank shall not hold trust account deposits that exceed fifty per cent of its core-capital … at least six months before the expiration” | The Electronic Money Regulations, 2015 (GN under the NPS Act 2015; made under s.56) | not dated |
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?
6 entities are on the Bank of Tanzania register under the Electronic Money Issuer category — view the register .
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