Luno review: availability, registrations, custody, and fees
Luno is an established cryptocurrency exchange focused on emerging markets across Africa, Asia, and Europe. It is licensed by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority in South Africa and registered with the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom, among other registrations. It is custodial and does not serve United States residents.
Information, not advice. This is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice, and it is not a recommendation to use any platform. Verify the current rules with a qualified local professional and the official regulator before acting.
Luno is a cryptocurrency exchange launched in 2013 that focuses on emerging markets across Africa, Asia, and Europe. As of March 2026 it is licensed by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority in South Africa and registered with the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom, among other registrations. It is custodial, which means it holds your assets on your behalf, and it does not serve United States residents. Check the position for your own country before signing up.
What Luno is
Luno launched in 2013 and is one of the more established cryptocurrency platforms aimed at emerging markets. It pairs a consumer focused buy and sell app with a wallet and a spot exchange, and it has built its largest user base in South Africa, where it is among the bigger registered crypto asset service providers.
The platform is custodial, which means Luno holds the assets in your account on your behalf rather than handing you the private keys. Users who want to control their own keys move funds to a separate self custody wallet. Luno positions itself around simplicity and local payment methods rather than advanced derivatives trading.
Where Luno is available
As of March 2026 Luno serves customers across a range of markets in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Its presence is strongest in South Africa, where it holds a licence under the country's crypto asset framework. It is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom and operates in parts of Europe and in Malaysia under local oversight.
Available products and local funding options vary by country and have changed over time, so a feature offered in one market may not be present in another. Luno does not serve United States residents. Anyone uncertain about access should confirm current eligibility directly with Luno before relying on it.
Registrations and licences
- South Africa licence. Luno holds a crypto asset service provider licence from the Financial Sector Conduct Authority and is among the larger licensed providers under South Africa's framework (as of March 2026).
- United Kingdom registration. Luno is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority as a cryptoasset business for anti money laundering supervision (as of March 2026).
- Malaysia oversight. Luno operates in Malaysia under the oversight of the Securities Commission Malaysia (as of March 2026).
- Other markets. Luno holds further registrations in some European and Asian jurisdictions. The exact list changes, so confirm the current registrations on Luno's own legal and licences pages (as of March 2026).
- United States. Luno does not hold United States registrations and does not serve United States residents (as of March 2026).
Each registration is stated as of 21 June 2026. Licences and registrations change. Confirm the current position on the regulator register and the licences page of the platform before acting.
Custody, fees, strengths, and limitations
Luno is custodial. It holds your assets on your behalf rather than handing you the private keys, so users who want to control their own keys move funds to a separate self custody wallet. Its licence in South Africa and its registration in the United Kingdom set conduct and anti money laundering requirements, though that framework does not remove ordinary platform and market risk.
On fees, Luno applies trading fees that vary by market and order type, and its instant buy and sell feature typically carries a spread that differs from the exchange order book. Pricing and funding fees change over time, so confirm the current schedule for your country on the platform before trading.
In plain terms, the strengths are a regulated footing in South Africa and the United Kingdom, a simple consumer app, and a focus on local payment methods in emerging markets. The limitations are that it does not serve the United States, its feature set is lighter than the largest global venues, local funding options vary by country, and the model is custodial. None of this is a recommendation to use or avoid the platform, only the factual picture you would weigh against your own country and needs.
Luno serves specific markets, and whether it is available to you depends on where you live. Rather than assume, compare the exchanges that are genuinely available in your country before you choose.
Regulator and sources
The relevant regulators include the Financial Sector Conduct Authority in South Africa, the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom, and the Securities Commission Malaysia, each of which supervises a different part of Luno's operations.
- Financial Sector Conduct Authority, crypto asset service provider licence records for South Africa.
- Financial Conduct Authority, register of cryptoasset businesses in the United Kingdom.
- Luno, official terms, legal pages, and country availability information.
Frequently asked questions
Is Luno legal to use?
In the markets where it operates, yes. Luno is licensed by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority in South Africa and registered with the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom for anti money laundering supervision, among other registrations. It does not serve United States residents (as of March 2026). Confirm the position for your own country before you sign up.
Is Luno regulated in South Africa?
Yes. Luno holds a crypto asset service provider licence from the Financial Sector Conduct Authority and is among the larger licensed providers in South Africa under the country's framework (as of March 2026).
Can United States residents use Luno?
No. Luno does not hold United States registrations and does not serve United States residents (as of March 2026).
Does Luno hold my crypto for me?
Yes. Luno is a custodial platform, so it holds the assets in your account on your behalf rather than giving you the private keys. If you prefer to control your own keys you would use a separate self custody wallet. This is information, not advice.
Which countries is Luno available in?
Luno focuses on emerging markets across Africa, Asia, and Europe, with a particularly strong presence in South Africa. Available products and local funding options vary by country and have changed over time, so confirm current availability for your country directly with Luno (as of March 2026).
Rules change frequently. Crypto licensing and availability differ across the markets Luno serves and continue to evolve, including South Africa's licensing regime and the United Kingdom's rules for cryptoasset firms. The position on this page is dated 21 June 2026. Confirm the current status with the named regulator and the platform before you act.
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