South Africa’s National Treasury and the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) have pushed back the public comment deadline on the draft Capital Flow Management Regulations, 2026, giving stakeholders nearly six more weeks to weigh in on rules that could reshape how money and digital assets move across borders.
- South Africa’s National Treasury and the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) have pushed back the public comment deadline on the...
- The original deadline of 18 May 2026 has been extended to 30 June 2026, following formal requests from stakeholders who...
- The extension signals that authorities are committed to collecting broad, informed input before the Regulations take effect.
- The extended window gives industry players, legal professionals, and ordinary South Africans more time to engage with the proposals.
Keep reading for the full breakdown on Capital Flow Management Regulations — everything you need to know is covered below.
The original deadline of 18 May 2026 has been extended to 30 June 2026, following formal requests from stakeholders who needed more time to review the draft Regulations.
Why the extension was granted
National Treasury published the draft on 17 April 2026, and an extension notice is expected to be gazetted shortly. The full document remains accessible on the National Treasury website at www.treasury.gov.za.
The extension signals that authorities are committed to collecting broad, informed input before the Regulations take effect.
The Capital Flow Management Regulations, 2026, replace the long-standing Exchange Control Regulations of 1961, a framework that governed cross-border financial flows in South Africa for over six decades.
The updated draft broadens the scope of oversight to align with modern financial activity, including digital assets. National Treasury and SARB designed the Regulations to modernise capital flow management while keeping South Africa compliant with international financial standards.
The extended window gives industry players, legal professionals, and ordinary South Africans more time to engage with the proposals.
Capital flow management regulations: What South Africans need to know
Much of the public debate surrounding the Capital Flow Management Regulations has centred on crypto assets. Media attention and community concerns have focused on how the draft addresses cross-border crypto transactions and whether the rules could restrict South Africans’ free use of digital currencies.
National Treasury has stated that the draft Regulations do not intend to criminalise the possession of crypto assets and that the rules will not be applied retrospectively.
To address concerns about crypto, the National Treasury plans to release a separate cross-border crypto asset framework as a draft manual for public comment.
This manual will clarify which activities would classify a crypto transaction as cross-border and subject to capital flow management measures. South Africans who hold or trade crypto assets are encouraged to review both the draft Regulations and the forthcoming manual before the 30 June 2026 deadline.
All comments on the draft Capital Flow Management Regulations must be submitted by 30 June 2026 via the National Treasury website.
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