Sudan central bank warns against unauthorized RSF financial app

January 28, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s central bank warned on Wednesday against dealing with an unlicensed electronic financial application in areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in South Darfur, stating it violates anti-money laundering laws.

The RSF recently launched a mobile transfer application called “Al-Mustaqbal for Banking and Financial Services.” Analysts described the move as an attempt to establish the foundations of a separate banking system within the territory held by the paramilitary group.

The Central Bank of Sudan said in a statement that it had observed the emergence of the unauthorized application in regions of South Darfur under the control of the “rebel RSF militia.” It clarified that the app is not licensed to operate in the country and any transactions through it constitute a breach of national laws, including the 2014 Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Act.

The central bank holds the exclusive legal authority to issue licenses for financial and banking operations in Sudan. The regulator urged citizens, public bodies, and legal entities to avoid the entity and any associated platforms or transactions, both inside and outside the country.

Using the application involves significant risks, the bank noted, citing the absence of a legal reference point if passwords or access codes are compromised. It further warned that there are no guarantees for deposited or transferred funds and that the platform violates international agreements on combating money laundering, the financing of terrorism, and the proliferation of weapons.

The RSF has been seeking to establish a parallel banking system within its areas of control, but lacks the necessary infrastructure. This has led the group to launch a transfer platform restricted to its own application.

The move comes as commercial banks remain closed across Darfur states since the outbreak of conflict between the army and the RSF in April 2023. The fighting has effectively halted the flow of new Sudanese currency into those regions.

The RSF currently controls most of Darfur, along with parts of West Kordofan and North and South Kordofan. In these areas, it has established a parallel administration with its allies, though it has not received international recognition.