By: Robert Kwaku Annor
Ghana’s Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC) has launched the African Virtual Assets Summit (AVAS)
2026 in Accra, setting the stage for a continental forum focused on building a
trusted, inclusive and innovative virtual asset ecosystem.
The launch brought together
regulators, policymakers, industry players, investors and other stakeholders
ahead of the main summit scheduled for November 2–3 in Accra.
Speaking at the launch, SEC
Director-General Dr. James Klutse Avedzi said Africa’s participation in virtual
assets was already significant, adding that attention must now shift towards
ensuring that the activity takes place within appropriate regulatory frameworks.
Avedzi said tokenisation
could broaden access to investment, improve liquidity and connect African
assets, including real estate, gold, carbon credits and trade receivables, to a
wider pool of investors.
He also highlighted Ghana’s
Virtual Asset Service Providers Act, 2025 (Act 1154), as providing a foundation
for the supervised growth of the sector.
SEC Deputy Director-General
for Operations, Mensah Thompson, said the Commission was determined not to
repeat the gaps that emerged as Ghana’s traditional capital market expanded.
He said AVAS would promote
regulatory clarity, stronger coordination among African regulators and greater
public understanding of virtual assets.
Ghana’s High Commissioner to
the United Kingdom, Sabah Zita Benson, who was the special guest of honour,
called for stronger international cooperation and Ghana-UK partnerships in
fintech, digital innovation, research and investment.
She urged stakeholders to
translate dialogue into practical investment and technology-transfer
opportunities.
The summit will feature
discussions and workshops on tokenisation, stablecoins, anti-money laundering
and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT), cybersecurity, investor
protection and regulatory frameworks. Developers, market operators and sandbox
participants will also have opportunities to showcase emerging solutions.
AVAS 2026 will be held under
the theme “Tokenisation: Africa’s Pathway Towards Building a Trusted, Inclusive
and Innovative Virtual Asset Ecosystem.”
