The securitization of Bitcoin under Nigeria’s Investment and Securities Act (ISA) 2025 is a regulatory misstep that reeks of bureaucratic overreach and a fundamental misunderstanding of what Bitcoin is.
By classifying Bitcoin as a security, the Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has slapped a square peg into a round hole, creating a framework that’s not just flawed but actively harmful to innovation, financial inclusion, and the very economic diversification Nigeria claims to champion.
First, calling Bitcoin a security is a gross misclassification that betrays either ignorance or deliberate obfuscation. A security, in traditional finance, represents ownership in a company, a debt obligation, or a contract with expected returns tied to a centralized entity’s performance.
Bitcoin, by design, is a decentralized, peer-to-peer digital currency—more akin to a commodity like gold than a stock or bond. It’s not issued by a company, doesn’t promise dividends, and its value hinges on market dynamics, not corporate earnings.
Lumping it with securities under ISA 2025 ignores its functional reality and sets a precedent for regulatory confusion. This isn’t just a semantic error; it’s a foundational flaw that distorts how Bitcoin can be used, traded, and innovated upon in Nigeria.
The implications of this misclassification are dire for Nigeria’s vibrant crypto ecosystem. Nigeria ranks second globally in cryptocurrency adoption, with $125 billion in on-chain value flowing through the country between July 2023 and June 2024, per Chainalysis. Bitcoin, in particular, has been a lifeline for Nigerians facing naira devaluation, 21% inflation, and restrictive banking policies.
It’s used for remittances, savings, and small-scale commerce—often by the unbanked and underbanked. By subjecting Bitcoin to securities regulations, the SEC imposes onerous compliance burdens on Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs), Digital Asset Operators (DAOPs), and exchanges.
These entities now face costly registration, reporting, and oversight requirements, which will likely drive up transaction costs or push operators underground. Smaller players, crucial for grassroots adoption, may simply fold, stifling competition and innovation.
Worse, the securitization framework risks alienating the very investors the SEC claims to protect. Securities laws are designed to shield investors from fraud in centralized, issuer-driven markets.
Bitcoin’s decentralized nature already mitigates many of these risks—no single entity controls the network, and transactions are transparently recorded on the blockchain.
Imposing securities-style oversight adds no meaningful protection but creates barriers to entry. Retail investors, who rely on Bitcoin to hedge against naira volatility or access global markets, may find themselves priced out or forced to navigate a murky, over-regulated landscape.
The SEC’s own Director-General, Emomotimi Agama, boasted that ISA 2025 would “foster innovation” and “protect investors efficiently.” Yet, by treating Bitcoin like a stock, the Act does the opposite, choking the organic growth that made Nigeria a crypto powerhouse.
The Act’s blanket approach to digital assets is another fatal flaw. Bitcoin isn’t Ethereum, a stablecoin, or a DAO token—each has distinct economic functions, governance models, and risk profiles.
A 2024 Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance study identified over 20 unique digital asset classes, each needing tailored regulation. ISA 2025’s one-size-fits-all model ignores this complexity, applying the same rules to a decentralized currency as to tokenized securities or utility tokens.
This lazy homogenization reflects a regulatory blind spot, failing to engage with the ecosystem’s nuances. Instead of consulting stakeholders—entrepreneurs, users, and researchers—the SEC opted for top-down control, a move that reeks of paternalism and disconnects from Nigeria’s tech-savvy youth driving crypto adoption.
Economically, this policy is a self-inflicted wound. Nigeria’s economy is reeling from currency instability and limited foreign exchange access. Bitcoin, alongside stablecoins, has been a workaround, enabling cross-border trade and remittances without reliance on traditional banks.
By over-regulating Bitcoin, the SEC risks pushing these activities to unregulated platforms or offshore exchanges, draining potential tax revenue and economic activity.
The Global Blockchain Business Council has argued that greater Bitcoin adoption could boost remittances and remote work payments, addressing Africa’s balance-of-payment issues. Yet, ISA 2025’s heavy-handed approach threatens to scare off investors and innovators, undermining Nigeria’s bid to stay competitive in the global digital economy.
The SEC’s justification—aligning with global standards like IOSCO’s—feels like a hollow excuse. Countries like Switzerland and Singapore have thrived by crafting nuanced regulations that distinguish between asset classes.
Nigeria could have followed suit, commissioning a national digital asset study to map its ecosystem and design data-driven policies. Instead, it chose a blunt instrument that prioritizes control over clarity.
Even the claim of curbing fraud rings hollow when you consider Nigeria’s 2024 cyberattacks, which cost the financial sector ₦53.4 billion. The SEC’s energy would be better spent bolstering cybersecurity or educating users on wallet security rather than mislabeling Bitcoin to fit an outdated regulatory mold.
Finally, the timing of ISA 2025 is tone-deaf. With Bitcoin hitting all-time highs in Nigeria (₦121 million on some P2P platforms in 2024) and global interest surging post-Trump’s 2024 election, Nigeria had a chance to position itself as a crypto hub.
Instead, the SEC’s securitization gambit signals hostility to the very technology that could drive economic resilience. Entrepreneurs like Bernard Parah of Bitnob, who’ve leveraged Bitcoin for cross-border payments, now face a regulatory quagmire that could stifle their efforts.
The Act’s passage may help Nigeria’s bid to exit the FATF Gray List, but at what cost? Trading long-term innovation for short-term compliance is a devil’s bargain.
In short, the securitization of Bitcoin under ISA 2025 is a masterclass in regulatory overreach. It misclassifies a decentralized currency, burdens a thriving ecosystem, alienates investors, and squanders Nigeria’s chance to lead in the global crypto race. The SEC’s attempt to tame Bitcoin doesn’t just miss the mark—it shoots Nigeria in the foot.