Polymarket is close-only in the Central African Republic (CAR). If you’re a new visitor, you can’t start trading here — existing positions can be closed, but new ones cannot be opened. The CAR is best known in crypto for briefly making Bitcoin legal tender in 2022, a decision it reversed a year later. Here’s what CAR users need to know.
Current Status: Close-Only
Polymarket lists the Central African Republic as close-only: accounts tied to CAR residency can close positions they already hold, but cannot open new ones. This differs from a full block — existing exposure can still be unwound rather than being frozen. For most visitors, the practical result is that you can’t start a fresh trade on Polymarket from the CAR today.
The Central African Republic’s crypto scene is very small. The country has one of the lowest rates of internet and financial-inclusion penetration globally, and crypto adoption remains minimal.
The Bitcoin Episode: 2022 Adopt, 2023 Repeal
April 2022 — Bitcoin Made Legal Tender
In April 2022, the CAR parliament voted unanimously to make Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies legal tender, becoming the second country in the world to do so, after El Salvador. Alongside the CFA franc, the legislation designated Bitcoin as an official currency and legalized the use of cryptocurrencies.
The decision was controversial at the regional level. The BEAC (Banque des États de l’Afrique Centrale — Bank of Central African States), the regional central bank that issues the Central African CFA franc, publicly disapproved, warning that the move conflicted with the monetary framework shared by the CEMAC region.
August 2022 — Constitutional Court Pushback
In August 2022, the CAR’s Constitutional Court ruled against a related initiative that would have allowed foreign investors to purchase citizenship, “e-residency,” and land using the country’s crypto token, Sango. The court effectively blocked these crypto-facilitated state purchases.
March 2023 — The Reversal
In March 2023, the CAR’s parliament voted to repeal the legislation that granted Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies legal-tender status. The law was reversed roughly a year after it was adopted, ending the experiment and returning the CFA franc to being the country’s sole legal tender.
The episode is a striking example of a country adopting then rapidly reversing an aggressive crypto policy — relevant context because it shows how unstable the legal footing for crypto has been in the CAR.
The Legal Landscape
The Central African Republic is a member of the CEMAC (Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa) and uses the Central African CFA franc (XAF), issued by the regional central bank, BEAC. Monetary and financial regulation in the country is therefore shaped both by BEAC at the regional level and by national authorities such as the Ministry of Finance.
After the 2023 repeal, crypto assets do not have legal-tender status in the CAR. The country has no comprehensive, clearly established framework specifically governing prediction markets. There is no confirmed enforcement action against Polymarket users in the CAR, but the regulatory environment for digital assets remains limited and undeveloped.
Given the close-only status and the very low level of crypto adoption, there is no meaningful on-ramp infrastructure within the CAR itself for funding a Polymarket account.
Trading Status in the Central African Republic
Polymarket’s restriction for the CAR is close-only: a CAR account can close positions it already holds, but it cannot open new ones. This differs from a full block — existing exposure can still be unwound rather than being frozen.
For a new visitor, the practical result is that you can’t start trading — there is no way to open a fresh position on Polymarket from the CAR today. Because the country has very few crypto exchanges and limited access to stablecoin rails like USDC, no verified local XAF-to-USDC on-ramp is documented for this page.
Existing CAR users with open positions should focus on closing them. If you already use a crypto exchange elsewhere, you would typically buy USDC there, transfer it over the Polygon network, and close out positions — but new trading is not available.
Tax Implications
The Central African Republic has a very small and largely informal crypto market, and there is no clearly established tax framework specifically for cryptocurrency gains. After the 2023 repeal, crypto assets no longer hold legal-tender status in the country.
You should keep records of any transactions and consult local tax advice regarding your reporting obligations. This page cannot verify any specific crypto tax rate for the CAR, so treat the tax treatment as an open question.
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