In 2025, Jordan enacted the Virtual Assets Law (Law No. 14 of 2025), creating the country’s first formal regulatory framework for cryptocurrency and digital asset services. This law establishes a licensing system for Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) under the Jordan Securities Commission (JSC), marking Jordan’s transition from a “permissive but unregulated” crypto environment to one with structured oversight.
For years, Jordan’s position on cryptocurrency was defined by what it wasn’t: not banned, not regulated, not recognized as legal tender. The Central Bank of Jordan issued warnings but no prohibitions. Individuals could freely buy, sell, and hold crypto, but platforms operated without any formal licensing path.
Law No. 14 of 2025 changes this fundamentally.
What the Law Does
1. Creates VASP Licensing
The law establishes a formal licensing framework for Virtual Asset Service Providers. Any entity offering virtual asset exchange, transfer, custody, or related services to customers in Jordan must obtain a license from the Jordan Securities Commission.
This includes:
- Exchanges — platforms that facilitate buying and selling of virtual assets (like USDT) for fiat currency (like JOD)
- Custodians — services that hold virtual assets on behalf of customers
- Transfer services — platforms that enable the transfer of virtual assets between parties
2. Assigns Regulatory Authority to the JSC
The Jordan Securities Commission is designated as the primary regulator for virtual asset activities. The JSC has published:
- Virtual Asset Service Providers Licensing Regulation
- An electronic preliminary approval application form
- Draft executive instructions for implementation
3. Establishes Consumer Protections
The licensing framework introduces requirements around:
- Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance
- Segregation and protection of client assets
- Transparent disclosure of services, fees, and risks
- Record-keeping and audit trail requirements
4. Provides a Path for Banks
The law also allows certain Central Bank of Jordan-supervised financial institutions to conduct virtual asset activities with prior CBJ approval, creating a parallel regulatory channel for traditional financial institutions.
What This Means for Crypto Users in Jordan
For individuals: Your right to buy, sell, and hold crypto is unchanged. The law does not restrict individual ownership. What changes is that the platforms you use will increasingly be licensed and regulated, which means better consumer protections, clearer dispute resolution, and more accountability.
For businesses: If you operate a virtual asset service in Jordan — whether an exchange, a custody service, or a transfer platform — you now need to pursue licensing through the JSC. Operating without a license carries penalties under the law.
For the market: Licensed platforms will be able to operate with greater legitimacy, potentially opening doors to banking relationships and institutional partnerships that were previously impossible in the unregulated environment.
How This Compares Regionally
Jordan’s approach follows a clear regional trend:
| Country | Framework | Regulator |
|---|---|---|
| UAE (Dubai) | VARA | Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority |
| UAE (Abu Dhabi) | ADGM | Financial Services Regulatory Authority |
| Bahrain | CBB Crypto-Asset Module | Central Bank of Bahrain |
| Jordan | Law No. 14 of 2025 | Jordan Securities Commission |
| Saudi Arabia | In development | Capital Market Authority |
| Egypt | In development | Financial Regulatory Authority |
Jordan is now positioned alongside the early movers in Arab world crypto regulation.
What vexjo Is Doing
vexjo has been operating as a USDT OTC exchange in Jordan since 2019. When Law No. 14 of 2025 was enacted, we welcomed it — regulation validates the service model we’ve been building for years.
We are among the first platforms in Jordan to apply for a VASP license under the new framework (application ref. VASP-20260328-25). Our application is currently under review by the Jordan Securities Commission.
Our platform was already built with compliance in mind:
- KYC: Every user verifies their Jordanian phone number
- AML-conscious design: Full audit trail on every transaction
- Banking integration: All JOD transactions flow through CliQ and eFAWATEERcom — official Central Bank of Jordan payment infrastructure
- On-chain verification: Every USDT transfer is verified on the blockchain
- No cash: All fiat movement is through the regulated banking system
The licensing process formalizes what we’ve been doing from the start.
Key Takeaways
- Jordan now has a crypto regulatory framework. Law No. 14 of 2025 is real, published, and being implemented.
- The JSC is the regulator. VASP licensing applications are open and being processed.
- Individual crypto ownership is unaffected. The law regulates platforms, not users.
- Platforms must get licensed. Operating a VASP without a license is now a regulatory violation.
- This is good for the market. Regulation brings legitimacy, consumer protection, and potentially better banking access.
Jordan’s crypto market just grew up. For platforms like vexjo, this is exactly what we’ve been preparing for.
vexjo is a USDT OTC exchange serving Jordan since 2019. VASP license application ref. VASP-20260328-25. Start trading at vexjo.com