Kenya’s Finance Bill 2026 Targets Crypto and Gambling Sectors
- Treasury CS John Mbadi submitted the Finance Bill 2026 to Parliament on April 30, aiming to raise KSh 120 billion.
- The bill mandates annual returns from virtual asset service providers (VASPs) under an amendment to the Tax Procedures Act.
- A reintroduced withholding tax of 20% on gambling winnings reverses a previous removal.
- Kenya plans to join international agreements for automatic exchange of virtual asset tax information by implementing OECD’s Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF).
- Mobile phone excise duty is set to increase from 10% to 25%.
The Finance Bill proposes significant tax amendments affecting both the cryptocurrency and gambling sectors in Kenya, with VASPs required to report annually and a revived tax on gambling winnings.
These measures aim to enhance tax compliance and revenue collection while aligning with global standards for cross-border data sharing in the crypto space (Source
