Kenya Seeks Blockchain Analytics Tool to Tame Crypto Crime

The Kenyan Capital Markets Authority (CMA) has issued a tender for a Virtual Assets Blockchain Analytics System, aiming to monitor over 20 blockchain networks in real-time.

The system will be used to detect fraud, money laundering, sanctions evasion, and terrorism financing. The CMA will also use it to screen wallets against international sanctions lists, flag suspicious transaction patterns, and support anti-money laundering (AML) and combating the financing of terrorism (CFT) compliance protocols.

The move comes as the country's Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) Act took effect in November 2025. The law carves up oversight responsibilities between two bodies: the CMA handles capital markets-related virtual asset activities, while the Central Bank of Kenya takes jurisdiction over stablecoins and payment-related crypto services.

The tender signals that the authority is building out its technical infrastructure before implementing regulations are finalized. Companies like Chainalysis, Elliptic, and TRM Labs have been selling blockchain analytics tools to regulators globally for years.